By Maria Doulton
William & Son, the luxury British brand founded by William Asprey in 1999 in London's Mayfair, celebrates pink sapphires in its new Beneath the Rose high jewellery collection.
Often overlooked in favour of its blue cousin, pink sapphires come in a range of hues, from light pink to more intense saturated red or hot pink tones. Sapphires are also available in green, yellow, and the very rare sunset orange known as Padparadscha. The amount of chromium in a sapphire determines how pink a sapphire will be, and high levels of chromium result in rubies.
View our gallery of multi-coloured sapphires
The pink sapphires chosen by William & Son jewellery are a soft hue reminiscent of rose petals. The sapphires are all rose cut, adding to the femininity of this all-pink collection. This old technique of cutting stones with less facets and a flatter cullet gives the pink sapphires a soft glow, and a romantic, antique look that contrasts with the contemporary symmetry of line-set diamonds.
The centrepiece is the large pink sapphire necklace, which is full of movement thanks to the articulated tennis bracelet-style diamond bands from which the pink sapphires are suspended in irregular clusters.
The magnificent cascading pink sapphire earrings can be transformed into studs by simply unhooking the bottom half of the earring. The matching pink sapphire ring can be worn either on its own or as a pair, stacked on one finger.
A long sautoir pink sapphire necklace is interspersed with pairs of pink sapphires in soft organic shapes, making this an informal and versatile piece of jewellery that can be worn during the day, either long or wrapped twice around the neck, with a pair of pretty lobe-hugging earrings.
Beneath the Rose is William & Son's second collection to bear its name. The high jewellery house is best known for its bespoke commissions and a selection of jewels designed by a carefully chosen roster of international brands. Branching out into designing its own luxury jewellery, Beneath the Rose is a promising second step for this British retailer.
Read more about William & Son jewellery
