Dior à Versailles, Côté Jardins: A Return to Versailles with New High Jewellery Collection

July 17, 2017

By Katerina Perez

10 min read

In 2016, the French fashion maison Dior released one of the most fascinating high jewellery collections in its history: Dior à Versailles. The designers produced jewels that were a unique illustration of the royal Palace of Versailles as a symbol of luxury and the art of a French aristocratic lifestyle. During Paris Haute Couture week this year, the maison presented over 60 pieces as part of Victoire de Castellane’s new collection that continues the same theme: Dior à Versailles, côté Jardins.

The architectural flourishes of the royal estate do not operate independently; they work organically with the various and numerous botanical features to which this new Dior à Versailles, côté Jardins collection is dedicated. Here, the frenzy of extravagance that nature boasts is no less striking than the opulence, variety and elegance of the landscape. The parks, the flowerbeds, even the thickets, as well as the many ponds, fountains, statutes and pathways were the real Victoire de Castellane’s inspiration.

Dior à Versailles, côté Jardins

Dior à Versailles, côté Jardins

To put together the new high jewellery collection, Dior’s Creative Director turned her attention to the architecture of the Palace of Versailles from a bird’s eye view. Ultimately, there turned out to be a lot geometry which was reflected in the Trianon necklace, bracelet and ring, as well as the Orangerie earrings and many other pieces.

I wanted, with every jewel, a rediscovery of the paradoxical combination of nature and culture, so characteristic of Le Nôtre’s work and of the park at Versailles. – Victoire de Castellane

In one part of the Versailles gardens, the trees have been planted to create, if looked at from above, a silhouette of a seashell. This motif has found its way into the Bosque de la Salle necklace, rings and bracelets that are made from yellow gold with emeralds, sapphires, diamonds and rock crystal. Incidentally, this collection is the very first time Dior has used this type of quartz in order to cut out delicate seashell elements. Some of them have been polished to be as transparent as possible, as in the case of the Bassin aux Nymphéas bracelet; others have been left matte, as with the Bosquet de l’Encelade bracelet.

DIOR À VERSAILLES, CÔTÉ JARDINS

DIOR À VERSAILLES, CÔTÉ JARDINS

 DIOR À VERSAILLES, CÔTÉ JARDINS

DIOR À VERSAILLES, CÔTÉ JARDINS

 DIOR À VERSAILLES, CÔTÉ JARDINS

DIOR À VERSAILLES, CÔTÉ JARDINS

 DIOR À VERSAILLES, CÔTÉ JARDINS

DIOR À VERSAILLES, CÔTÉ JARDINS

 DIOR À VERSAILLES, CÔTÉ JARDINS

DIOR À VERSAILLES, CÔTÉ JARDINS

 DIOR À VERSAILLES, CÔTÉ JARDINS

DIOR À VERSAILLES, CÔTÉ JARDINS

 DIOR À VERSAILLES, CÔTÉ JARDINS

DIOR À VERSAILLES, CÔTÉ JARDINS

 DIOR À VERSAILLES, CÔTÉ JARDINS

DIOR À VERSAILLES, CÔTÉ JARDINS

 DIOR À VERSAILLES, CÔTÉ JARDINS

DIOR À VERSAILLES, CÔTÉ JARDINS

 DIOR À VERSAILLES, CÔTÉ JARDINS

DIOR À VERSAILLES, CÔTÉ JARDINS

 DIOR À VERSAILLES, CÔTÉ JARDINS

DIOR À VERSAILLES, CÔTÉ JARDINS

 DIOR À VERSAILLES, CÔTÉ JARDINS

DIOR À VERSAILLES, CÔTÉ JARDINS

 DIOR À VERSAILLES, CÔTÉ JARDINS

DIOR À VERSAILLES, CÔTÉ JARDINS

 DIOR À VERSAILLES, CÔTÉ JARDINS

DIOR À VERSAILLES, CÔTÉ JARDINS

 DIOR À VERSAILLES, CÔTÉ JARDINS

DIOR À VERSAILLES, CÔTÉ JARDINS

 DIOR À VERSAILLES, CÔTÉ JARDINS

DIOR À VERSAILLES, CÔTÉ JARDINS

 DIOR À VERSAILLES, CÔTÉ JARDINS

DIOR À VERSAILLES, CÔTÉ JARDINS

 DIOR À VERSAILLES, CÔTÉ JARDINS

DIOR À VERSAILLES, CÔTÉ JARDINS

Looking through the jewels on display, I mentally wandered along those pathways that were marked on the jewels with succulent green emeralds. The excesses of diamonds conjure memories of dappled sun rays on the fountains’ clear waterfalls, whilst the gentle pale blue shades of sapphires and tourmalines embody the calm smooth surfaces of the ponds. Multi-coloured sapphires recall the riot of colour and open shapes of the vibrant flowerbeds. The droplets of rubies, placed in fancy gold frames, are unmistakably the vigorously blooming rose bushes, wondrously enveloping the gold rim with their stems.

Dior à Versailles, côté Jardins incorporates all the codes of the brand: it combines, in single pieces, a striking mixture of bright colours, complex structures, and the use of stones that have been cut in completely different ways. You have probably already noticed that Dior’s collections almost always include mismatched Toi&Moi earrings which look completely different but are intended to be worn together. Victoire de Castellane is dedicated to this type of jewellery, calling these earrings “a couple” because, different those they are, they, like two lovers, are made for each other.

"SAPPHIRE ENCELADUS GROVE" BROOCH

"SAPPHIRE ENCELADUS GROVE" BROOCH

"RUBY NYMPHS' BATH" RING

"RUBY NYMPHS' BATH" RING

"PARAIBA TOURMALINE NYMPHS' BATH" BRACELET

"PARAIBA TOURMALINE NYMPHS' BATH" BRACELET

"PARAIBA TOURMALINE QUEEN'S HAMLET" RING

"PARAIBA TOURMALINE QUEEN'S HAMLET" RING

"RURAL DELIGHT" BROOCH

"RURAL DELIGHT" BROOCH

"YELLOW DIAMOND COLONNADE GROVE" RING

"YELLOW DIAMOND COLONNADE GROVE" RING

"RUBY FLOWER GARLAND" RING

"RUBY FLOWER GARLAND" RING

"BLACK OPAL GIRANDOLE GROVE" DOUBLE RING

"BLACK OPAL GIRANDOLE GROVE" DOUBLE RING

"EMERALD BALLROOM GROVE" DOUBLE RING

"EMERALD BALLROOM GROVE" DOUBLE RING

"EMERALD TRIANON" EARRINGS

"EMERALD TRIANON" EARRINGS

"SAPPHIRE LETO'S PARTERRE" BRACELET

"SAPPHIRE LETO'S PARTERRE" BRACELET

"EMERALD SOUTH PARTERRE" HIGH JEWELLERY WATCH

"EMERALD SOUTH PARTERRE" HIGH JEWELLERY WATCH

"BLACK OPAL GIRANDOLE GROVE" RING

"BLACK OPAL GIRANDOLE GROVE" RING

"PARAIBA TOURMALINE GIRANDOLE GROVE" RING

"PARAIBA TOURMALINE GIRANDOLE GROVE" RING

"DIAMOND FLOWER GARLAND" EARRINGS

"DIAMOND FLOWER GARLAND" EARRINGS

"SAPPHIRE RURAL DELIGHT" EARRINGS

"SAPPHIRE RURAL DELIGHT" EARRINGS

"YELLOW DIAMOND QUEEN'S HAMLET" RING

"YELLOW DIAMOND QUEEN'S HAMLET" RING

"SAPPHIRE RURAL DELIGHT" NECKLACE

"SAPPHIRE RURAL DELIGHT" NECKLACE

"DIAMOND TRIANON" NECKLACE

"DIAMOND TRIANON" NECKLACE

"PINK SAPPHIRE NYMPHS' BATH" RING

"PINK SAPPHIRE NYMPHS' BATH" RING

"EMERALD CLEARING" HIGH JEWELLERY WATCH

"EMERALD CLEARING" HIGH JEWELLERY WATCH

"DIAMOND GROVE OF THE DOMES" EARRINGS

"DIAMOND GROVE OF THE DOMES" EARRINGS

"DIAMOND GROVE OF THE DOMES" NECKLACE

"DIAMOND GROVE OF THE DOMES" NECKLACE

"PINK SPINEL QUEEN'S HAMLET" RING

"PINK SPINEL QUEEN'S HAMLET" RING

"YELLOW DIAMOND WATER THEATRE GROVE" EARRINGS

"YELLOW DIAMOND WATER THEATRE GROVE" EARRINGS

"YELLOW DIAMOND GRAND CANAL" RING

"YELLOW DIAMOND GRAND CANAL" RING

"DIAMOND BALLROOM GROVE" RING

"DIAMOND BALLROOM GROVE" RING

"RUBY BALLROOM GROVE" BRACELET

"RUBY BALLROOM GROVE" BRACELET

"EMERALD CROWN OF FLOWERS" RING

"EMERALD CROWN OF FLOWERS" RING

"YELLOW SAPPHIRE RURAL DELIGHT" RING

"YELLOW SAPPHIRE RURAL DELIGHT" RING

"DIAMOND QUEEN'S HAMLET" RING

"DIAMOND QUEEN'S HAMLET" RING

"SAPPHIRE MUSICAL FOUNTAINS" EARRINGS

"SAPPHIRE MUSICAL FOUNTAINS" EARRINGS

"PARAIBA TOURMALINE QUEEN'S GROVE" EARRINGS

"PARAIBA TOURMALINE QUEEN'S GROVE" EARRINGS

"PINK SAPPHIRE QUEEN'S HAMLET" RING

"PINK SAPPHIRE QUEEN'S HAMLET" RING

"DIAMOND ORANGERY" EARRINGS

"DIAMOND ORANGERY" EARRINGS

"PINK SAPPHIRE COLONNADE GROVE" EARRINGS

"PINK SAPPHIRE COLONNADE GROVE" EARRINGS

"EMERALD BALLROOM GROVE" NECKLACE

"EMERALD BALLROOM GROVE" NECKLACE

"RUBELLITE ORANGERY" RING

"RUBELLITE ORANGERY" RING

"EMERALD QUEEN'S GROVE" RING

"EMERALD QUEEN'S GROVE" RING

"LIGHT OPAL GIRANDOLE GROVE" EARRINGS

"LIGHT OPAL GIRANDOLE GROVE" EARRINGS

"SPESSARTITE GARNET ORANGERY" BRACELET

"SPESSARTITE GARNET ORANGERY" BRACELET

"BLACK OPAL ENCELADUS GROVE" BRACELET

"BLACK OPAL ENCELADUS GROVE" BRACELET

Every piece in this new high jewellery collection seems to have captured the most beautiful and sumptuous parts of the Versailles grounds for eternity. This idealised Versailles shall never wither, forever granting those that surround it feelings of joy and delight.

COUTURE Show: the best of pearl jewellery at Las Vegas fair

continue reading

Naked Attraction: The Best High Jewellery of the 2025 Cannes Film Festival 

Here’s a rundown of some of the best Cannes jewellery looks from the 78th annual festival (May 13-24), including the likes of Dakota Johnson, Angelina Jolie, and Natalie Portman, who all make striking jewellery the star of their ensembles

by Sarah Jordan

In Conversation: Discussing Paraiba — The Legacy of a Color with Vogue Singapore

The conversation encouraged both myself and Kevin Ferreira, my co-author, to recall exactly why we wrote Paraiba: The Legacy of a Color, and I am pleased to share more with you below

by Katerina Perez

Semi-Precious vs Precious Gemstones: Why the Old Labels No Longer Work

I can’t count the number of times I’ve asked myself: what really sets so-called precious and semi-precious stonesapart? Is it their rarity? Colour? Durability? Value? Or is it simply tradition—an outdated hierarchy we’ve inherited without question

by Katerina Perez

Larger than Life: New Mineral Masterpieces and Global Adventures with Margot McKinney 

Let’s take a closer look at the pieces and places that have helped to shape the Margot McKinney brand over the last 12 months, including the rather sensational Marina, Aurora and Bloem necklaces

by Katerina Perez

Male Adornment: The Evolution of Men’s Jewellery from the 1400s Until Today

Men's jewellery is often overlooked, yet its history is both rich and cyclical. Over the past six centuries, the popularity of male adornments has fluctuated, reflecting shifts in fashion, status, and cultural values. Here, Amanda Triossi examines the reasons behind male jewellery, along with its periods of abundance and decline.

by Amanda Triossi

Perfect Proposal: The Top 10 Engagement Ring Mistakes to Avoid 

The moment you start thinking about proposing, everything shifts. Ordinary things become significant: dinner out, a walk in the park, a glance at their jewellery box. And then comes "the ring": a symbol of love, yes, but also a silent spokesperson for everything you feel and hope for. No pressure, right?

by Claire Roberts

Couture Show 2025: The Top 10 Debutants Heading to Las Vegas 

The much anticipated Couture Show will return to Wynn Las Vegas from June 4-8, 2025, shining a spotlight on established design talent, new creatives, and international brands that are vying for attention on the global stage. Just like in previous years, I am focusing my attention on the debutants

by Katerina Perez

Designing the Future: Revealing the Winners of the Katerina Perez x Osmium Institute Design Contest

What a ride it has been, witnessing such pure creative energy and original thinking, especially with a material as rare and futuristic as osmium

by Katerina Perez

New Icons: The Latest Collections by Italian Micromosaic Master SICIS 

I was presented with two striking new collections – Icon and Colibrì – that offer different interpretations of the SICIS aesthetic. Below, I want to give you a closer look at these capsule suites and tell you more about the inspirations behind them

by Katerina Perez

Fabulous Fabrications: TAOS Presents a Trio of Watches Inspired by Couture Fashion

Occasionally, beautiful timepieces demonstrating exceptional Métiers d’Art will land on our virtual desks and result in a round-robin series of emails. In the hours after we received insights into the emerging Swiss brand TAOS, almost the entire team had seen the fabric-inspired dials of its latest creations, and we all agreed that an article was […]

by Sarah Jordan

A Century of Sparkle: Celebrating 100 Years of Art Deco at GemGenève

From May 8-11, 2025, visitors to GemGenève can immerse themselves in a showcase of antique and modern jewellery while also experiencing the innovative spirit of the 1920s and 1930s through a photographic lens. Here, I'd like to tell you more about this creative collaboration and introduce you to the brands taking part…

by Katerina Perez

Tailored Perfection: The Best Jewellery Looks of the Met Gala 2025

Not since 2003 has a Met Gala theme focused exclusively on menswear, so we had high hopes for this year’s attendees demonstrating the best of tailored suiting adorned with high jewels. Let’s take a closer look at some of the best ensembles of the evening…

by Sarah Jordan

Latest Stories

Add articles and images to your favourites. Just

Reinventing Royalty:The European-Inspired Luxury Behind Isabel Gemology

I started 2025 with a series of articles titled ‘Jeweller of the Month’ to highlight the true talent among niche designers in the jewellery industry. For May, it is Isabel Delgado, the founder of Isabel Gemology, who I would like to shine the spotlight on.

by Katerina Perez

Jewels Katerina Perez Loves

Continue Reading

Writing Adventures:Co-Authoring the Book

Paraiba: The Legacy of a Color

by Katerina Perez

Jewellery Insights straight to your inbox

Style Guide

By using this website, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. View our Privacy Policy for more information.