Couture Special: Chanel unveils Contrastes Collection

Take a trip into the underworld with Chanel's freshly unveiled Contrastes collection of Fine Jewellery inspired by Orpheus and see what the launch was all about in Paris. Chanel took me on an unusual trip: into the bowels of the earth to see the Contrastesjewellery collection. While Chanel's designers adhere to the traditional duo-tone black and white scheme that this house is so well known for, don't expect anything traditional. These jewels play with unorthodox combinations of materials and form to mark a new chapter. Like Orpheus's magical lyre, the  jewels have a hypnotic quality. Perhaps, lulled by Orpheus' sweet songs the precious diamonds and lustrous stones were secreted away from Sirens or guardians of the underworld.  A writhing, molten diamond-encrusted loop is snared by neat, slim symmetrical black bars and tamed with ropes of perfect white pearls. An explosion of moonstones, diamonds and opals suggests a milky white northern sky where crystals thrust up their spiky petals like prehistoric flowers. My favourite piece is a necklace swirling with moonstone beads, pearls, blue and grey spinels and diamonds that glisten like stars reflected in a cold, midnight sea. Enough musing, look at these dreamy jewels and fall under their spell.