One of the most marked trends we are witnessing in the world of high jewellery is the development of stone-setting techniques using increasingly lighter mounts. Leading the way is Geneva-based jewellery Boghossian, which, for six generations, has been transforming the most precious of stones into exquisite jewels. And to present Les Merveilles to the world, Boghossian returned to Bella Hadid as the face of its advertising campaign.
The name of the new stone-setting technique as well as the name of the house’s latest high jewellery collection, Les Merveilles follows on from other Boghossian stone-setting firsts, including the Art of Inlay, which sets stones within stones, and Kissing Diamonds, which allows one stone to hover above another forming new effects of light and colour.
Developed over the past four years, Les Merveilles is a sophisticated system that uses the stones themselves to hold each other in place. The beauty of Boghossian’s Les Merveilles technique is that, freed from metals, the gemstones can cast out the purest reflection of light. It also means that gems can be set on every surface of a jewel.
“It’s not the gold that holds the diamonds together but the diamonds that are holding each other,” explains Roberto Boghossian, Managing Director. “The reflections from every single angle are stunning because, with this minimum amount of gold, you are managing to get the light from every perspective.”
So successful is this feat of gem-setting ingenuity that diamonds seem to grow like crystals on the jewels, leaving no surface uncovered. Take a look at the shank of this Les Merveilles ruby ring – it appears to have been dipped in diamonds.
Les Merveilles-set diamonds throw out a shower of light that further enhances the brilliance of the central stones in each Les Merveilles ring, which include rubies, sapphires and the unmistakeable swimming-pool blue of Paraiba tourmalines.
Three statement necklaces with matching earrings most dramatically showcase the arrival of Les Merveilles, which places diamonds where lesser jewellers simply can’t reach.
This Les Merveilles Meche necklace is set with 140 carats of yellow and white diamonds, with an 11.21 carat Fancy yellow pear-shape diamond suspended from a curlicue entirely set with diamonds using Les Merveilles technique.
A similar effect is created with over 91 carats of pink sapphires, 8 carats of rubies and close to 62 carats of diamonds in a shimmering bib necklace, with a 10.06 carat white diamond shining out from a backdrop of pink-hued stones.
Les Merveilles reversible necklace allows the wearer to change the jewel from all-diamonds to rubies and diamonds by twisting the centres of the oval-shaped Les Merveilles-set ruby links.
However, Les Merveilles technique is seen at its purest in the all-diamond Creole hoop earrings, which see 196 diamonds (19.66 carats) sit as light as dew drops, shining out with a spectacular brightness. The long Les Merveilles earrings, with either 140 amethysts or sapphires, show how the new technique can also be used with colour gemstones.
The arrival of Les Merveilles adds yet another facet to Boghossian’s unique and very original way with gems, bringing surprise, extraordinary colour and dazzling light effects as it confidently pushes the boundaries of what we can expect from the brave new world of high jewellery. And I am sure we will see more stunning effects in the future as Boghossian expands the variety of gemstones set using Les Merveilles method.
