Lydia Courteille Takes Us Around Ethiopia in Her New Queen of Sheba collection:

March 18, 2016

By Katerina Perez

3 min read

Usually when jewellers work on a collection which develops a chosen theme, it is simply a case of endowing their jewellery with a decorative elements which can successfully convey their idea, so as a result you have a selection of rings, bracelets, necklaces and earrings with visual similarities. This is normally what usually happens, but, as everyone knows, the extravagant Lydia Courteille has no intention of abiding by the norm, and her latest collection, Queen of Sheba, is a straight-up affirmation of that fact.

Lydia loves to travel, indeed she cannot live without it, and she often seeks inspiration in the rich history and traditions of the exotic countries she visits. A few years ago the designer went to Ethiopia on a trip which gave her ample material for her extensive new collection, Queen of Sheba, named after then legendary ruler of the Arabian kingdom of Sheba, whose visit to the Israelite King Solomon is documented in the Bible. Although there is no historical evidence supporting her existence, her image as a beautiful, brilliant, intelligent woman has had a huge influence on literature and folklore throughout Europe, North Africa and the Middle East.

This new collection from Lydia Courteille incorporates a wide range of stand-alone jewels, including cocktail rings, long earrings, large bracelets, fantasy tiara and even earrings linked by beaded threads. It’s hard to say which is the centrepiece of the collection, as each jewel is unique and beautiful in its own right, all of them drawing its influence from a different part of life in Ethiopia.

Lydia Courteille

Lydia Courteille

One feature that unites the collection, however, is the fretted range of yellow-green colours made up from tourmalines, peridots, emeralds, yellow sapphires and tsavorites, based on the dyed-green colour of the Danakil Desert in eastern Africa. This was one of the key inspirations for Lydia.

The main aspect of Ethiopian life which finds itself recreated in the new collection is the dense concentration of different religions, which in Africa are forced to co-exist alongside one another, primarily Islam, Christianity, Judaism and Paganism. The Ark of the Covenant ring, made with green cabochon tourmaline, yellow sapphires and tsavorites, is Lydia’s jewellery tribute to the great holy shrine of people of Israel, the ark which contained the two stone tablets bearing the Ten Commandments. Jewish elements are also present in the emerald and yellow sapphire earrings, made to look like the menorah found in a synagogue.

Lydia Courteille

Lydia Courteille

The city of Lalibala in northern Ethiopia is famous for its churches carved into the mountainside, and these have inspired Lydia to design a number of earrings and bracelets with a cross motif.

The Queen of Sheba collection also features a couple of designs decorated with leaves and flowers. In order to understand their relevance to Ethiopia, you have to look to the Omo Valley, home to the Mursi tribe, who are known for decorating themselves in vegetation. Taking the lead from them, the designer has decorated her cocktail ring with the head of a woman wreathed in leaves made from green tourmalines.

Lydia has started off with a total of 18 jewels in this collection, the tiara and bracelet, 9 rings and 7 pairs of earrings, but she plans to periodically add more pieces, which means our journey into the heart of Ethiopia has only just begun!

Lydia Courteille

Lydia Courteille

The Monogram Flower Opens Its Petals in the New Louis Vuitton Blossom Collection:

continue reading

Watches and Wonders 2025: The Coolest Watch Novelties

With pastel pops, Pop Art influences, and playful twists on time itself, Watches and Wonders 2025 delivered a vibrant feast of creativity. Discover the fun new watches setting trends in Geneva this spring

by Rachael Taylor

White Hot: Achromatic Jewellery is Having a Moment

Let’s explore the revival of all white jewellery and discover why this look is universally complementary – and a great investment.  

by Rachael Taylor

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

Watches and Wonders 2025: Eight of the Most Artful Dials 

From lovers kissing on a bridge to precious animals painted in enamel or gems, this year’s watch launches included timepieces with extraordinary dials that blur the line between watchmaking and wearable art.

by Rachael Taylor

Birthday Wishes: Embracing the Power of Being Different 

Today, I want to share my thoughts on embracing your inner self and channelling all that power into your biggest passions…

by Katerina Perez

Flip the Script: Meet the Jewellers Creating Luxury Customised Watches

Jewellery designers are increasingly turning their artistic talents to the world of horology, customising luxury watches with unique embellishments that carry their personal style signatures. From reimagined Rolexes to gemstone-studded bezels, discover how jewellers are making their mark on the world of timepieces

by Rachael Taylor

Iconic Revival: Boucheron Reinvents the Serpent Bohème Jewellery

That nostalgic feeling of seeing past creations—sometimes forgotten, sometimes iconic—sparking a rush of inspiration to reimagine and breathe new life into what once was. That's exactly what Boucheron has achieved with its latest revival: the Serpent Bohème Vintage collection

by Hirshi Sujanti

Art Deco Innovation: Exploring the Iconic Van Cleef & Arpels Mystery Setting

The Mystery Setting by Van Cleef & Arpels stands out as a masterpiece of Art Deco ingenuity. As the world celebrates the centenary of Art Deco in 2025, we are taking the opportunity to spotlight one of the most technically ambitious innovations to emerge from this golden era of jewellery design

by Claire Roberts

Emerald Odyssey: Chopard Unveils its Insofu High Jewellery Collection

There's nothing quite like the thrill of a new collection unveiling. But what truly excites me isn't just the sparkle and glamour – it's when a brand takes a bold and unexpected approach. This is exactly what Chopard has done with its latest Insofu High Jewellery collection, which all started with the extraordinary 6,225-carat 'Insofu' rough emerald. Let's take a closer look at the creations that have emerged from this incredible mineral specimen

by Hirshi Sujanti

Watches and Wonders 2025: The Best Jewellery Watches 

From diamond-drenched serpents to enamelled blooms and secret talismans, these new jewellery watches unveiled in Geneva embody the artistry, emotion and extravagance of high jewellery watchmaking for women

by Rachael Taylor

Refined Character: The Ancient-Meets-Modern Allure of Dionysios Fine Jewels

The Dionysios signature is all about warm, soulful jewellery that’s characterful without being overtly historical or too starkly modern. Let’s take a closer look at some of the brand’s highlights…

by Katerina Perez

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.