Jewellery from Queen Bey to Queen Camilla
Contemporary pearls for June babies, a Couture preview, our favourite piece from GemGenève, the story behind Queen Camilla’s maple leaf brooch and Beyoncé’s latest style choice.
The Pearl Edit
The Calypso necklace, Kismet by Milka
Made in Istanbul, purple pearls take centre-stage in this choker from Kismet by Milka, elevated with a single link of diamond pave.
Talkative’s emblematic earrings are created by Shinobu Marotta in collaboration with Japanese master artisans, using carefully cut mother-of-pearl lined with yellow gold.
You can rely on the Italian design duo behind Eera to funk up freshwater pearls, and with the addition of their silver Stone motif to this quadruple-strand choker, we say the job is done.
Tahitian pearl ring, Ray Griffiths
Subverting the pristine image of creamy white pearls, Ray Griffiths chooses a perfect black pearl for this minimalist statement ring, bezel-set into a gold crownworkⓇ mount.
Feminine Waves bracelet, Joanna Laura Constantine
Rugged 18k gold-plated ocean swirls capture cultured barque pearls in a wearable statement piece made in the brand’s atelier in Beirut.
Beyoncé in Bibi, Almasika and Emefa Cole at the Met Gala
Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter tour is underway and with it, some spectacular costumes. A closely-guarded year in the making, Bibi van der Velden designed a pair of super-sized, fully articulated Queen B Diamond Alligator earrings conceived to sparkle in the spotlight. The designer, who is marking 20 years of her brand this year, described the experience as “a true honour” and another milestone in her journey. Beyoncé has also worn a custom bolo tie by Brilliant Earth and recently debuted custom Texas-inspired grills by Gabby Elan.
Almasika and Emefa Cole both had prominent placements on the Met Gala red carpet. For Edward Enninful, Catherine Sarr designed the Invictus flower brooch, which she described as “a poetic homage to resilience”. The jewel featured 17 carats of Botswanan diamonds and was commissioned by Enninful’s creative director, Susan Bender Whitfield. Meanwhile, Emefa Cole created SMO gold jewellery for Lauryn Hill in a look that paid tribute to Ghanaian royalty, with earrings, a necklace and rings in her characteristic organic style. The gold can be traced back to the sustainable Ity mine in Côte d’Ivoire.
6 independent designers to see at Couture
As Couture Las Vegas hits the desert city, these are the designers to look out for.
Aaron Jah Stone Parisian designer Cyril Bismuth will be showing his 15th anniversary gem-set pocket watch cases, hand-made in France, with sapphires, tourmalines and turquoises to mark the hours, in textured silver.
Fresh from a collaboration with MyTheresa, Marie Lichtenberg is preparing to show some a set of very special new pieces, which represent a first foray into high jewellery for the cult designer, alongside new scapulars.
Maison H will be showing their form-focused statement jewels. Don’t miss the shield rings which showcase an exploration of texture, with sand-finish, engraving, micro-pavé and more.
Alongside other narrative pieces, Lionheart will be showing the latest in their collection of poetic jewelry, this time focusing on diamond-set celestial jewelry, which draws on the Victorian fascination with star motifs.
Technicolour jewellery brand Robinson Pelham will be debuting new takes on the Daystar earrings and the popular hardstone Stereo motifs, with a sun-drenched campaign shot in Ibiza to match.
Tabayer will be debuting the new Zorae motif, a stylised wheatsheaf representing strength in unity, crafted exclusively in Fairmined gold in the brand’s characteristic minimalist style.
The Couture Show 2025 is at Wynn Las Vegas, 3131 S. Las Vegas Boulevard, June 4th – 8th.
The story behind Queen Camilla’s Asprey maple leaf brooch
Queen Camilla chose a platinum and diamond brooch with a glittering royal backstory, for her visit to Ottawa with King Charles last week.
The diamond-set maple leaf was first seen in public in 1939. Made by London jewellers Asprey, the jewel was originally a gift for Queen Elizabeth, the Queen mother, from King George VI, on a 1939 State visit. The late Queen Elizabeth II inherited the brooch in 2002 and lent it to the Duchess of Cornwall and Duchess of Cambridge for their own official trips to Canada, before wearing it in a portrait to mark the country’s 50th anniversary.
Queen Camilla paired the brooch with Asprey’s 167 Button pendant, also a favourite with the Princess of Wales. With the King in Canada to address parliament against a tense political background, her choice to wear the Canadian national emblem is sparkling style, symbolised the respectful and warm relationship between the two countries.
Pieces of the Month: A.Win Siu’s elements brooches
A.Win Siu debuted a poetic suite of brooches at GemGenève in May, representing an evolution of her colourful, gem-laden style.
The Chinese designer looked to the Greek theory of the Classical elements, which sets out that earth, water, fire and wind are the bedrock of the universe. Symbolising grounding, solid earth; the life-giving energy of water; the energy and creativity of fire, and lucidity of wind, A.Win created the brooches using stones close to each element. Jade, turquoise and rock crystal are embedded in titanium, while coloured gems flow from a mother-of-pearl cup; citrine and fire opal burn in a torch, and a swirl of moonstone wind blows from an amethyst chalice.
What we loved at GemGenève
Art Deco: A Legacy of Timeless Elegance exhibition, which was an aboslute treat from the Cartier diamond cuffs to the Bird of Paradise clock, on loan from Golay Fils & Stahl.
The latest from Armenian jeweler Shavarsh Hakobian; a unique solitaire diamond engagement ring, plus more iterations of his butterfly rings.
Vintage jewels for days from dealers like Nicolas Torroni and the Faerber Collection, with everything from Jar to Bulgari.
Talking with Volyn Gems, Ukraine’s only gemstone mine, and learning about the Ukrainian topaz and beryl used by the Strong & Precious collective.
Meeting Joy Boateng, Catherine Marche, Norma Banton from Masterpeace Academy and others at the Jewellery and Gemstone Association of Africa.
What’s on…
It’s Las Vegas Jewelry Week next week June 4th - 9th, and Couture Las Vegas is the jewel in its crown, held at the Wynn Hotel, as well as the Las Vegas Antique Jewelry and Watch Show, while JCK – along with the AGTA GemFair pavilion – is at The Venetian… Over in New York, collectors have the chance to meet Massimo Izzo at Bergdorf Goodman’s Jewelry Salon, where the Italian jeweller will be presenting a trunk show of his jewels, inspired by the natural environment of his native Sicily, June 3rd - 8th from 1 - 4pm.