Flower trend: Floral jewellery reaches new heights of sophistication

May 12, 2020

By Jodie Smith

7 min read

Having covered modern floral jewellery in Spring 2019, it was impossible not to notice that flowers continued to be on fashion and jewellery designers’ minds throughout the past year, and further into 2020. “An explosion of flowers that heralds the arrival of spring brings itself into our necklaces, brooches and earrings in large-as-you-like proportions. Expect to see bunches of tailor-made treasures to embrace your inner country girl this fall,” writes Emeline Blanc in her article for Vogue about jewellery trends for Spring/Summer 2020.

Flower motifs have been an integral part of jewellery design for centuries, but what makes floral jewels from contemporary artists special is the ingenuity and complexity of the processes, implemented unconventional materials and experiments with gemstone settings. Some of the biggest jewellery houses in the world, as well as talented young designers and established master artists, treat flowers with extraordinary reverence, so let’ss look at some examples of some extraordinary flower designs.

Giambattista Valli, Louis Vuitton and Versace catwalks featuring floral jewellery

Giambattista Valli, Louis Vuitton and Versace catwalks featuring floral jewellery

Original jewellery style

Bvlgari’s high jewellery ‘Jannah’ collection features a rather unusual poncho-style necklace that boasts not only an abundance of gemstones on floral motifs, but a weight of incredible labour which was necessary to create it. Requiring between 1,200 to 1,500 hours of work by a single artisan, the making of this unique jewel was supported by a team of foundry workers and gem cutters. This design is far beyond just a necklace, the cape-like structure is embellished with 46 rubellites weighing 213.77 carats set against mother of pearl and 62 Akoya pearls, as well as emeralds and diamonds. 

Bvlgari 'Jannah' collection 'Poncho' bib necklace with mother-of-pearl and diamonds in rose gold

Bvlgari 'Jannah' collection 'Poncho' bib necklace with mother-of-pearl and diamonds in rose gold

Invention in gemstone setting

Having the prestigious title of the most exciting new jewellery talent to emerge from Mainland China, Feng J. has an appropriately enthralling design process for her ‘Floating Set’ jewellery. The result is the lightweight, almost invisible gold structure that supports the gems and lets light pass through each stone in a delightfully fresh way. Feng reveals: “every gem we use is 1mm-1.2mm thin custom cut by hand in an organic shape, meaning that no stone is exactly the same, and the process of cutting and matching stones to a design usually takes months. It is like putting together a jigsaw puzzle out of gemstones or painting with them.”

Feng J. 'Icy Green Dahlia' brooch with Colombian emeralds, double rose cut purple and yellow sapphires, tanzanites, tsavorites and diamonds in white gold

Feng J. 'Icy Green Dahlia' brooch with Colombian emeralds, double rose cut purple and yellow sapphires, tanzanites, tsavorites and diamonds in white gold

 Feng J. 'Icy Pink Dahlia' brooch with 16.28ct moonstone, double rose cut pink sapphires, blue sapphires and diamonds in white gold

Feng J. 'Icy Pink Dahlia' brooch with 16.28ct moonstone, double rose cut pink sapphires, blue sapphires and diamonds in white gold

 Feng J. 'Icy Pink Dahlia' brooch in production

Feng J. 'Icy Pink Dahlia' brooch in production

 Feng J. 'Icy Pink Dahlia' brooch in production

Feng J. 'Icy Pink Dahlia' brooch in production

The art of Invisible setting

Stenzhorn have a reputation for creating complex floral jewels using their signature mystery setting technique that allows petals to showcase one single colour without visible metal. The brands’ founder Klaus Stenzhorn admits that regardless of creating several floral collections – ‘The Noble Ones’(2016), ‘Snow White and Rose Red’ (2017) and ‘Sakura’ (2018) – it was the Chrysanthemum necklace from the first collection that marked a pivotal moment in Stenzhorn’s history. “The workmanship of this piece is of staggering complexity, both in its three-dimensional effect and the setting of the stones. If you take a close look at the petals you will see that rubies embellish even those parts that are not instantly visible,” Klaus Stenzhorn says of his creation.

Stenzhorn 'The Noble Ones' collection 'Chrysanthemum' necklace with invisible set rubies and diamonds in white gold

Stenzhorn 'The Noble Ones' collection 'Chrysanthemum' necklace with invisible set rubies and diamonds in white gold

 Stenzhorn 'The Noble Ones' collection 'Chrysanthemum' necklace with invisible set rubies and diamonds in white gold

Stenzhorn 'The Noble Ones' collection 'Chrysanthemum' necklace with invisible set rubies and diamonds in white gold

 Gouache of Stenzhorn 'The Noble Ones' collection 'Chrysanthemum' necklace

Gouache of Stenzhorn 'The Noble Ones' collection 'Chrysanthemum' necklace

 Gouache of Stenzhorn 'The Noble Ones' collection 'Chrysanthemum' necklace

Gouache of Stenzhorn 'The Noble Ones' collection 'Chrysanthemum' necklace

Elevating rock crystal

In July 2019 Rubeus Milano, a brand specialising in ultra-luxury goods, presented its first ‘Imperial’ high jewellery collection consisting of two magnificent parures with rare collectible gemstones – alexandrites. The ‘Eternal’ set featured a transformable necklace with a detachable flower brooch whose petals were embodied in jagged slices of rock crystal surrounding an oval alexandrite of 10.30 carats. Each rock crystal fragment was cut by hand to correspond to the design dreamt up by Frederic Mané and I, then crafted by the jewellery studio of Jothi Seroj. I believe it’s a breath-taking accomplishment to work with such delicate fine jewellery material (some rock crystal did crack in the cutting process and had to be re-cut), to unquestionably stunning effect.

Rubeus 'Eternal' transformable necklace with oval 10.30ct alexandrite, diamonds, sapphires, tanzanites and rock crystal in titanium

Rubeus 'Eternal' transformable necklace with oval 10.30ct alexandrite, diamonds, sapphires, tanzanites and rock crystal in titanium

 Gouache of Rubeus 'Eternal' transformable necklace

Gouache of Rubeus 'Eternal' transformable necklace

 Rubeus 'Eternal' transformable necklace with oval 10.30ct alexandrite, diamonds, sapphires, tanzanites and rock crystal in titanium

Rubeus 'Eternal' transformable necklace with oval 10.30ct alexandrite, diamonds, sapphires, tanzanites and rock crystal in titanium

 Rubeus 'Eternal' transformable necklace with oval 10.30ct alexandrite, diamonds, sapphires, tanzanites and rock crystal in titanium

Rubeus 'Eternal' transformable necklace with oval 10.30ct alexandrite, diamonds, sapphires, tanzanites and rock crystal in titanium

 Rubeus 'Eternal' transformable necklace (as brooch) with oval 10.30ct alexandrite, diamonds, sapphires, tanzanites and rock crystal in titanium

Rubeus 'Eternal' transformable necklace (as brooch) with oval 10.30ct alexandrite, diamonds, sapphires, tanzanites and rock crystal in titanium

Sculptural beauty

Cindy Chao’s ‘Damask Rose’ brooch from the ‘Tango in the Garden’ collection became the star of the show when unveiled at the Masterpiece fine art fair in London in 2019. The design was inspired by Cindy Chao’s trip to Oman, where she experienced the fragrant Omani rose water which emanates from damask roses. To begin with, the central bright pink 8 carat cushion cut sapphire is surrounded by 65 stamens, each covered with French lacquer in yellow, peach and pink hues, with varying textures creating an unusual interplay with tactility. The petals of this masterpiece are made of titanium, and drenched in almost 2,000 diamonds and more than 1,500 pink sapphires. To create a work of this calibre, convention had to be eschewed for an 18th century wax technique, proving that complex designs do not always rely solely on high-tech innovations.

Cindy Chao 2019 Black Label Masterpiece IX ‘Damask Rose’ brooch from the ‘Tango in the Garden’ collection with 8.00ct cushion cut pink sapphire, 53.65ct of diamonds, 240.23ct pink sapphires, and orange sapphires in titanium, white gold and lacquer

Cindy Chao 2019 Black Label Masterpiece IX ‘Damask Rose’ brooch from the ‘Tango in the Garden’ collection with 8.00ct cushion cut pink sapphire, 53.65ct of diamonds, 240.23ct pink sapphires, and orange sapphires in titanium, white gold and lacquer

The allure of a rare gem

The jewellery company that always takes its jewellery design and gemstone selection to the most sophisticated level is Gübelin. In 2019, the Swiss house with a globally esteemed background in gemmology created an outstanding ‘Aurora’ collection featuring rare Padparadscha sapphires set in necklaces, rings, earrings and a bracelet. The hero piece – ‘Rising Lotus’ ring – with a pink-orange 14.25 carat cushion cut gem was made in rose gold forming a blossoming flower. This Sri Lankan Padparadscha sapphire in the centre of the jewel was further embellished with pastel fancy colour sapphires and diamonds. The combination of an extremely rare gemstone and the intricacy of the floral design make this a truly special floral jewel.

Gübelin ‘Rising Lotus’ ring from the 'Aurora' collection with 14.25ct cushion cut Sri Lankan Padparadscha sapphire, fancy colour sapphires and diamonds in rose gold

Gübelin ‘Rising Lotus’ ring from the 'Aurora' collection with 14.25ct cushion cut Sri Lankan Padparadscha sapphire, fancy colour sapphires and diamonds in rose gold

 Gouache of the Gübelin ‘Rising Lotus’ ring from the 'Aurora' collection

Gouache of the Gübelin ‘Rising Lotus’ ring from the 'Aurora' collection

 Gübelin ‘Rising Lotus’ ring from the 'Aurora' collection with 14.25ct cushion cut Sri Lankan Padparadscha sapphire, fancy colour sapphires and diamonds in rose gold

Gübelin ‘Rising Lotus’ ring from the 'Aurora' collection with 14.25ct cushion cut Sri Lankan Padparadscha sapphire, fancy colour sapphires and diamonds in rose gold

The art of Inlay

The Swiss jeweller Boghossian has become known for their love of the ancient inlay technique. A number of such complex designs have been produced over the years, with the most recent one being a glorious cuff bracelet. It is adorned with delicate flowers detailed with no less than 18 Burmese, non-heat treated star rubies, further highlighted with 15.53 carats of rubies, and oval, pear shaped rose cut diamonds and round brilliant diamonds set in mother-of-pearl and 18 karat white gold.

Boghossian cuff with Burmese rubies, 15.53ct of accenting rubies, and diamonds in mother-of-pearl and white gold

Boghossian cuff with Burmese rubies, 15.53ct of accenting rubies, and diamonds in mother-of-pearl and white gold

Precious flowers are timeless and the styles of interpretations are endless, but as jewellery artists continue to experiment and innovate with materials and techniques, the future of fine flower themed jewellery is full of exciting new possibilities.

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