Haute Couture 2025: Celebrating 20 Years with the Messika Terres d’Instinct High Jewellery Collection 

It is not uncommon for special milestones to usher in a new era of creativity and confidence at successful fine and high jewellery maisons. At Messika, the arrival of its 20th anniversary has heralded the new Terres d’Instinct High Jewellery collection that draws inspiration from the beautiful landscapes of Southern Africa and, most excitingly of all, this region’s bounty of precious coloured gemstones. For a brand that is exclusively and successfully devoted to diamonds, this injection of sapphires, rubies, emeralds, spinels, garnets, and onyx, among others, is something of a turning point in its creative journey. Let’s take a closer look at the collection, including some of its neckwear highlights, and discover its romantic inspirations…

Considering what Messika has managed to achieve in 20 years, you might be surprised to learn that the brand isn’t much older. Of course, this success is down to the inimitable Valérie Messika and her team, who have carved a niche in super-cool and audacious jewels with an ‘It Girl’ edge. This is perfectly expressed by the brand’s choice of ambassadors, including Carla Bruni, Kate Moss and Kendall Jenner, as well as its host of famous fans, from Dakota Johnson to Rihanna. Messika could have continued in this vein for another two decades, sitting comfortably in its ‘sweet spot’ of diamond-orientated jewels. We could have anticipated more radiant pieces with bezel, snow and halo-set diamonds, as well as a range of cuts like cushion, pear, baguette and heart. Instead, the Maison has challenged our preconceptions with its latest high jewellery collection - Terres d’Instinct – that channels the natural world and incorporates coloured gems to “break from convention and stride boldly toward new horizons,” according to a media release.  

In previous seasons, the high jewellery lookbooks we’ve received from Messika tend to focus on the woman – her spirit, her coolness, and her fiery independent spirit. The most striking thing about this year’s offering is its focus on flora, fauna, and the landscapes of the natural world, specifically Southern Africa. It is understandable why Messika would be drawn to this part of the world. After all, the vast majority of the most remarkable diamonds ever discovered hail from this terrain. However, with Terres d’Instinct, Messika is homing in on Namibia, a country that borders Botswana and South Africa, as well as its landscapes, wildlife, and sand-filled colour palette. I am told that most of the diamonds used in this collection were specifically cut and polished in Namibia by Valérie’s father’s company, Andre Messika Diamonds, which really adds to the story. 

Let’s start with the articulated Mirage necklace that echoes the slow drift of sand dunes with undulating segments of brushed gold and sweeps of pavé diamonds. The presence of brushed and chiselled finishes adds depth to the Terres d’Instinct collection, providing the perfect backdrop for a more diverse suite of gems, like pearls, pink sapphires, garnets, emeralds and shield-cut stones. There are also pieces crafted in anodised titanium, helping to make larger silhouettes more comfortable against the skin. 

The most ostentatious piece we’ve seen so far is the Kalahara necklace, which is all about strength, power and star-strewn nights over an unforgiving landscape. The centrepiece is a 34.92-carat fancy intense yellow radiant-cut diamond, flanked by a second fancy-cut fancy yellow gem of 3.61 carats and surrounded by 3,298 diamonds weighing 103.30 carats. What makes this necklace special is its modular design, meaning it can be transformed into a triple-row plastron, a double-row necklace, a choker or a pendant necklace depending on the wearer’s whims. 

There are two further pieces of note, the Zebra Mnyama necklace and the Fauve necklace. The former pays homage to zebra stripes with contrasting onyx and baguette-cut diamonds in a strong, geometric collar shape. At its heart, two shield-cut diamonds (one D-flawless and the other D-internally flawless) serve as an anchor for the overall architecture, weighing 1.52 carats and 1.50 carats respectively. 

The Fauve necklace has a great story behind it, centring on the ferocious power of lions and the deadliness of their claws. The interior surface of the domed necklace has ‘cuts’ in the precious metal as if a wild beast has sunk its talons into the material! On the outer surfaces, more than 2,4491 diamonds shine for a total weight of 70.28 carats, sculpted into an alternating concave and convex shape with contrasting yellow gold.  

There were more pieces on display at Paris Haute Couture Week, including the Divine Enigma set with a 30-carat Zambian emerald and another necklace with a cheetah print in chiselled gold. I have also been told about another facet of the collection – a rainbow-themed suite of nine pieces – that will be exclusively available at the brand’s Madison Avenue store opening in September 2025. Clearly, we have lots to look forward to! And, if this introduction of coloured gemstones is a sign of things to come, Messika will also be bringing us more mineral variety in the future. What’s not to love?