Tiffany&Co Blue Book 2015: wonderful interpretations of the sea

From the moment Kate Blanchett stepped onto the Red Carpet in a chic turquoise necklace and Emma Stone showed off a gold cuff-bracelet, I have been eagerly awaiting one very special annual event: the unveiling of new jewellery from the Blue Book by Tiffany & Co.

I wrote a piece last year explaining exactly what this book is but, to sum up, it is an anthology of high-art jewellery released once a year by the American label as a tribute to the art and craftsmanship of jewellery design. The Blue Book is well known among enthusiasts as the single greatest showcase for Tiffany&Co.’s spectacular jewels, where this year they are showing off pieces dedicated to the incredible power and mysterious depths of the sea.

Francesca Amfitheatrof recently took over the position of the Design Director, and this is her first collection for the Blue Book. The jewellery marks a departure from the collections of previous years, with simpler designs, but more elegant and stylish. The impression is that Francesca has eschewed practically any unnecessary detail and has retained only the key elements which are associated with the sea. So what you end up with are watery swirls with baguette-cut diamonds flowing down the length of your neck; scales made from precious stones to resemble the feathers of seabirds tossing and turning on the waves; Gold, Tahitian and South Sea pearls; and jewels of different shapes and sizes in varying shades of dark and light blue.

The colour palette of the individual pieces has been matched to make sure every hue reflects the hypnotic shades of the ocean waves and the light that shines through them. So, for example, the earrings made with sparkling light-blue tourmalines call to mind sea spray, while a ring with a sapphires in different tones surrounding a 21,66 carat cabochon chrysocolla evocative of the azure blue of the sea around a tropical island. There is a ring with a purple-blue tanzanite which looks as if it has been polished by the wind and the waves, as well as a turquoise and aquamarine cuff-bracelet which resembles a pebble on the sea bed.