Christmas special: five striking types of jewellery to dazzle in this festive season

December 18, 2017

By Katerina Perez

5 min read

For many, December is the busiest month of the year when it comes to parties and society functions; people in different countries all over the world celebrate Christmas and New Year with family, friends and colleagues.

In the deep midwinter, there are numerous opportunities to go out wearing your very best jewellery. The question is what will look the most unique, and allow you to stand out from the crowd? Read this article to learn about five pieces of jewellery that would fit the bill.

Large necklaces

Jewellery designed for the décolleté area have always held a special place in the dinner party wardrobe. In the times of Napoleon and Empress Josephine, intricate necklaces were particularly popular amongst the ladies at court. This transformed into a fashion for long sautoirs in the 1920s, an essential accessory for any social event, but by the 1930s high society girls couldn’t manage without short necklaces that skirted around the base of the neck. As they were many centuries ago, statement necklaces now operate as a status symbol that only a select circle of people can afford. Modern jewellery maisons are creating pieces for them as part of their high jewellery collections or as self-sufficient unduplicated works that aren’t connected to any of their collections.

Boucheron 'Baikal' necklace by from L'Hiver Imperiale collection, with Santa Maria oval aquamarine weighing 78.33 carats, and strung with over 2,000 cultured Akoya pearls

Boucheron 'Baikal' necklace by from L'Hiver Imperiale collection, with Santa Maria oval aquamarine weighing 78.33 carats, and strung with over 2,000 cultured Akoya pearls

 Boghossian emerald and aquamarine necklace, featuring 75.32ct Colombian emeralds and 103.44ct aquamarine, accented with 8.21ct diamonds. Pictured with matching earrings and ring

Boghossian emerald and aquamarine necklace, featuring 75.32ct Colombian emeralds and 103.44ct aquamarine, accented with 8.21ct diamonds. Pictured with matching earrings and ring

 Chaumet 'Aria Passionata' transformable necklace in pink gold and lacquer, set with rhodolite garnets of 16.28 ct, 14.25 ct, and 10.96 ct respectively, 3 cabochon-cut rubies of 6.25 ct, 4.89 ct and 3.15 ct, baguette-cut, oval-cut and round rhodolite garnets, baguette-cut rubies, beads of ruby, of rhodolite garnets, of onyx and of pink gold and brilliant-cut diamonds

Chaumet 'Aria Passionata' transformable necklace in pink gold and lacquer, set with rhodolite garnets of 16.28 ct, 14.25 ct, and 10.96 ct respectively, 3 cabochon-cut rubies of 6.25 ct, 4.89 ct and 3.15 ct, baguette-cut, oval-cut and round rhodolite garnets, baguette-cut rubies, beads of ruby, of rhodolite garnets, of onyx and of pink gold and brilliant-cut diamonds

 Piaget 'Midday Festival' necklace from the Sunlight Journey collection, featuring emerald cut sapphire with diamonds, black opals and sapphires

Piaget 'Midday Festival' necklace from the Sunlight Journey collection, featuring emerald cut sapphire with diamonds, black opals and sapphires

 Cartier's Tutti Frutti inspired 'Résonances de Cartier' platinum necklace featuring  a central carved sapphire, surrounded by sapphires, emeralds, rubies and diamonds

Cartier's Tutti Frutti inspired 'Résonances de Cartier' platinum necklace featuring a central carved sapphire, surrounded by sapphires, emeralds, rubies and diamonds

Cocktail rings 

Flashy rings, embellished with diamonds and coloured gemstones, came into fashion in America in the 1920s and it was then that the term “cocktail ring” came into being. Even if it initially used to be an attribute of private dinner parties, it is now, perhaps, the most common form of jewellery worn for any type of social event. When working on the designs for cocktail rings, jewellers give free rein to their flights of fancy and capture the most unbelievable creative ideas using precious materials. They use a wide spectrum of precious stones and diamonds, the cut of which partially goes beyond the boundaries of the ordinary, and create a ring setting made of different precious metals, decorating it with either enamel or some other material.

From top to bottom: Cartier 'Resonances de Cartier' ring with sapphire, emeralds and diamonds; Gubelin Seahorse ring with sapphire and diamonds, House of Tabbah ring with sapphire, emerald, yellow and colourless diamonds, Chamovskikh ring with cabochon emerald and diamonds, Giampiero Bodino ring with Paraiba tourmaline, sapphires and diamonds.

From top to bottom: Cartier 'Resonances de Cartier' ring with sapphire, emeralds and diamonds; Gubelin Seahorse ring with sapphire and diamonds, House of Tabbah ring with sapphire, emerald, yellow and colourless diamonds, Chamovskikh ring with cabochon emerald and diamonds, Giampiero Bodino ring with Paraiba tourmaline, sapphires and diamonds.

Long earrings 

In most cases, cocktail rings are worn to make an impression on those around us and to delight in incredible jewellery inventions. Earrings have another function: they form a bejewelled frame around the face and attract the attention of those in view. Long striking earrings have along been regular guests at celebratory events and various awards ceremonies. For example, this year pendant earrings have dominated the red carpet at the Emmy’s and are no less prevalent than elegant necklaces at Cannes.

Avakian 'Gatsby' transformable earrings in white enamel, diamonds and amethyst or morganite

Avakian 'Gatsby' transformable earrings in white enamel, diamonds and amethyst or morganite

 Buccellati pearl and diamond drop earrings

Buccellati pearl and diamond drop earrings

 Dior à Versailles 'Salon de Dian' earrings in white and pink gold, scorched silver, platinum, diamonds and emeralds

Dior à Versailles 'Salon de Dian' earrings in white and pink gold, scorched silver, platinum, diamonds and emeralds

 Chopard earrings from the 'Precious Chopard' collection in 18k white gold, set with 10.7ct pear-shaped and brilliant-cut diamonds

Chopard earrings from the 'Precious Chopard' collection in 18k white gold, set with 10.7ct pear-shaped and brilliant-cut diamonds

 Hemmerle earrings comprised of sapphires, beryls, white gold, and brass - image courtesy of Hemmerle

Hemmerle earrings comprised of sapphires, beryls, white gold, and brass - image courtesy of Hemmerle

Brooches 

For several consecutive seasons in a row, fashion designers have brought out a variety brooches. For the autumn-winter season 2017-2018, these were worn by models for Emporio Armani, Lanvin, Philosophy by Lorenzo Serafini and others. However, despite the recent trend, not every woman understands how to wear this accessory without it looking passé. If you want to be on trend, why not wear a large diamond brooch on the shoulder strap of your dress like Uma Thurman did using a Cartier brooch at the MET Gala in 2016, or attach it to the belt of your dress, following the example of Eva Longoria, Michelle Williams and Anne Hathaway? The author of the book How to Wear Jewellery – 55 Styles suggests fastening several jewels to your outfit at the same time either all to the right or the left, or spread between two sides. The Greek designer Nikos Koulis recommends wearing the brooch from his latest collection Lingerie not only pinned to your outfit but also as a long earring.

Nikos Koulis 'Lingerie' collection emerald and diamond brooch, with earrings  in emerald, diamonds and pearls

Nikos Koulis 'Lingerie' collection emerald and diamond brooch, with earrings in emerald, diamonds and pearls

 Palmiero 'Arborea' brooch in White, black, brown and coloured diamonds on white gold

Palmiero 'Arborea' brooch in White, black, brown and coloured diamonds on white gold

 Picchiotti Flower Brooch featuring an unheated spessartite and diamond petals

Picchiotti Flower Brooch featuring an unheated spessartite and diamond petals

Hair pieces  

Diadems, tiaras and bandeaux are, perhaps, the most typical piece of jewellery from the early 20th century. As a necessary accessory for official receptions and extravagant celebrations, tiaras have remained in high demand amongst the upper echelons of society and have served as a symbol of luxury, prosperity and style. Although society balls are a thing of the past, hair pieces have not sunk into oblivion and their symbolism remains unchanged. What’s more, modern fashions have led to the appearance of more modest forms of bandeau – jewellery hair bands. These can be found at the bigger jewellery maisons, such as Chaumet or Graff, and at Harry Winston you can buy hairclips made with gold and diamonds.

Top to bottom: Graff diamond head band and a hair pin, Harry Winston diamonds head band and a hair clip, Tasaki diamond hair accessory, Messika diamonds tiara, David Morris diamond tiara

Top to bottom: Graff diamond head band and a hair pin, Harry Winston diamonds head band and a hair clip, Tasaki diamond hair accessory, Messika diamonds tiara, David Morris diamond tiara

When it comes to adding that special final touch to an outfit, fine jewellery can’t be beaten. Why not make the most of the opportunity to shine and sparkle this festive season by adding that final jewelled flourish to your party ensemble?

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