Hot on the heels of Paris Haute Couture and four days of fashion shows comes the latest collections of high jewellery from many of the world’s top jewellery brands like Van Cleef & Arpels, Buccellati, Dior, Chanel, De Beers, Piaget, Chaumet, Messika, Louis Vuitton, Suzanne Syz, David Morris and more. It’s an exclusive event open only to clients and journalists and a great honour to attend. I hope you enjoy my curation of new jewellery discoveries from Paris Haute Couture.
One of my favourite high jewellery collections of Paris Couture Week 2019 is Born To Be Wild by Messika. Discovering it was like a dazzling journey, where everything from presentation and room decor to the style and display of jewels came together in an unforgettable experience! Born To Be Wild is the 7th high jewellery collection of Messika Maison and I can’t wait to see what innovative Haute Joaillerie creations they unveil next year!
Back to the present, entering the Messika presentation of their new Born To Be Wild high jewellery collection, I felt like I was stepping into a desert land of sand and rocks interspersed with driftwood, swirling tumbleweed and sparkling diamonds, waiting to be discovered by jewellery lovers. Drawing inspiration from the vast and vivid North American desert and the Wild West, the Born To Be Wild jewels by Messika pay tribute to the forces of nature, self-discovery and escapism.
Born To Be Wild comes together in four captivating chapters of desert jewels: Bohemian, Amazon, Cowgirl, and Hippie. Each sub-collection captures an aspect of the Wild West by paying homage to its original inhabitants and exploring burning lights of the desert and the natural miracle of dusty nights. What I’m about to share with you are several more exceptional pieces that were added to the collection especially for Paris Haute Couture Week.
The Diamond Catcher necklace from the Bohemian chapter presents new ways of wearing a diamond choker. Messika envisions the feather motif in a trendy pear-cut and marquise-cut diamond choker, highlighting the contrast between the flowing continuity of stones and the daring lightness of the feather. Feather fine jewellery is so on trend right now (see Mike Joseph Jewellery, COUTURE Las Vegas).
I couldn’t wait to try on this incredible Sun Tribe necklace and earrings set from the Amazon chapter. Inspired by the vivid rays of the sun rising over the vast and rocky terrain, this piece remains true to Messika’s signature moving diamond designs. The necklace moves and flexes with the neck to illuminate the face. Featuring 66 marquise cut, 43 pear cut and 1237 brilliant cut diamonds, the Sun Tribe necklace took 500 hours of craftsmanship. Each ray was connected and threaded onto a corded chain that wraps around the neck of the lucky wearer!
One of my favourite designs, the Néoporté diamond mask, makes me look like a jewellery superhero, radiating sparkle and joy everywhere she goes! The first of its kind, the Messika diamond mask features 78 marquise cut diamonds and 1158 brilliant cut diamonds, and reflects the innovative spirit of Messika Maison high jewellery. The sleek lines of marquise cut diamonds are accentuated by the feather-like setting, creating an ultra feminine design. Put on the diamond mask of Messika and escape with me to the luxurious jewellery boutiques of the Place Vendôme and discover four days of gems, gems, gems in my High Jewellery Tour of Paris Couture Week 2019!
“I like to travel, to get away… With Born to be Wild, I wanted to instil a state of mind that alludes to a feeling of escape. Between fantasy and imagination, the desert acts upon humankind like a great revealer, living up to and surpassing itself. The North American desert, more than any other, leaves one speechless, making you feel like no one and someone at the same time….” – Valérie Messika
I have a soft spot for cushion cut fancy yellow diamonds and this dazzling choker from Messika matches my engagement ring so incredibly! Fitting around the neck, rows of baguette diamonds form a layered effect, fanning out to create the impression of a meteorite shower in the night sky. The VVS and VS clarity yellow diamonds elevate its sparkle to the next level! Beautiful flawless diamonds like these are extremely rare and valuable. Inclusions and blemishes are natural to the formation of a diamond, which is why their absence is a true treasure! Learn more about these quality factors of diamonds and the difference between the natural and lab grown diamonds.
To this day, I’m still in awe of the dazzling desert-inspired jewels of Messika! Watch my IGTV to see them firsthand!