By Åse Anderson
A new Chanel high jewellery collection pays tribute to four classic signatures of Gabrielle Chanel, one of which – the ribbon – stands out in particular as a stunning reminder of the legendary fashion designer’s obsession with certain motifs.
Entitled Les Intemporels, meaning “timeless”, this latest collection of Chanel jewellery, launched to coincide with Haute Couture Week in Paris, consists of four mini collections, each of which is dedicated to one of Gabrielle Chanel’s favourite things. The star, the camellia, the ribbon and the lion are all preserved in their most luxurious form in the shape of necklaces, earrings, rings and bracelets, crafted from white gold with diamonds, pearls, spinels and sapphires.
The Ruban (Ribbon) collection is especially beautiful, with a bow motif traced with glittering brilliant-cut diamonds. The ribbon was regularly used by Chanel in her fashion and jewellery designs in the 1920s and 30s. Consisting of 13 pieces, the Ruban collection is the only one to incorporate colour, with two stand-out rings set with blue and pink sapphires. The addition of Japanese cultured pearls in the three-strand Couture necklace and earrings, meanwhile, has resulted in two statement jewels that are classic pieces of Chanel jewellery.
The deceptively simple bow motif has been a constant in jewellery design since the late 17th century. A symbol of love or marriage, a bow brooch pinned close to the heart was said to signal that a woman was in love. During the French Revolution, the bow motif all but disappeared in jewellery design, only to return to fashion in the Edwardian era. Advances in jewellery-making techniques now allow designers to craft bows with an embroidery-like daintiness, set with diamonds or other gemstones.
Jewellers such as Tiffany & Co., Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpels have all incorporated the bow motif into their high jewellery collections and, more recently, British jewellery designer Alice Cicolini created the Beau collection for Winterson, inspired by Georgian bows.
Read about the best high jewellery collections of 2015
-
The Chanel Ruban high jewellery ring in white gold features pear-cut, baguette-cut and brilliant-cut diamonds.
-
Chanel high jewellery Ruban ring in white gold with diamonds and a 4.7 carat pear-cut sapphire from the new Les Intemporels de Chanel collection.
-
White gold Chanel Ruban earrings set with 18 baguette-cut diamonds and 320 brilliant-cut diamonds, from the new new Les Intemporels de Chanel high jewellery collection.
-
From the new Les Intemporels de Chanel collection, this Ruban bracelet in white gold is set with 23 baguette-cut diamonds and 384 brilliant-cut diamonds.
-
The Ruban brooch from Chanel’s Les Intemporels de Chanel high jewellery collection worn by Blake Lively in the film Café Society.
-
Chanel’s Couture Ruban necklace, from the new high jewellery collection Les Intemporels, features a selection of diamonds and 338 Japanese cultured pearls.
-
Chanel Ruban necklace in white gold with diamonds from the Les Intemporels de Chanel collection.
-
Ruban high jewellery pink sapphire ring
Chanel
POA
