The magic of gemstone briolettes in fine jewellery | The Jewellery Editor

Dance to the rhythm of gemstone briolettes

Rachael Taylor celebrates the beauty of briolette-cut gemstones, which, when set just right, create a magical en tremblant effect.

16 August 2016

There is something about the jingling of gemstone briolettes that will transport you to the glitz and glamour of a grand dancefloor lit by elaborate chandeliers. Set just right, these elegant gems can bring that magical en tremblant effect to jewellery.

Stories of Day and Night diamond earrings — These white gold and diamond earrings by Sybarite have working swings, with the diamond briolettes hemming the skirts to add an extra layer of movement (POA).

Margarita Prykhodko specialises in creating extraordinary pieces for her Sybarite jewellery line. The celebrated, flame-haired architect’s jewels are never as simple as they first appear, with each throwing up a surprise element of functionality - such as her ring that is a working, gem-filled kaleidoscope, or her elaborate ballerina ring that spins on top of a mirrored stage.

When it comes to creating movement in jewellery, Prykhodko is a master and she has used briolette diamonds to bring one of her latest designs to life. The white gold and diamond earrings from her Stories of Night and Day collection show two ballerina-like figurines - one crowned with a Sun and the other a Moon - sitting on swings. When the earrings are worn, the bejewelled figures swing into action and a trim of briolette-cut diamonds tremble and sparkle around the hems of their dresses.

Wildflowers briolette-cut sapphire rings — These floral-inspired Wildflowers rings by Palmiero have bunches of sapphire briolettes at their centre (POA).

Coloured gemstones also lend themselves well to the briolette cut, and when bunched together they can create a juicy centrepiece. Palmiero’s Wildflower rings are a great example of this, decorated with clusters of sapphires in shades of blue, orange or pink, at the centre of sapphire and diamond-encrusted gold petals.

Fellow Italian jeweller Alessio Boschi has also worked with gemstone briolettes, attaching more than 30 briolette-cut tsavorites to his elaborate Ivy necklace, which has a detachable 40ct Australian black opal leaf that can be worn as a brooch. The tsavorite briolettes are placed both singly and in small clusters all the way around the design, from the very tip to the clasp at the back. The gems are attached to their cap fittings with tiny pins that allow them the freedom to shimmer and shake.

Yellow gold hoop earrings with briolette-cut gemstones — Rainbow moonstones, labradorites and cat’s eye opal briolettes sit on yellow gold hoops by Melissa Joy Manning (available at Net-a-Porter, £360).

For a more relaxed way to wear bunches of gemstone briolettes, Melissa Joy Manning has decorated a pair of simple, yellow gold hoops with briolette-cut rainbow moonstones, labradorites and cat’s eye opals, which are just begging to be packed into your holiday suitcase.

Moussaieff portrait diamond chandelier earrings, with two rose-cut pear-shaped brown diamonds totalling 42.11 carats and chandeliers of briolette pink and white diamonds behind (POA).
These floral-inspired Wildflowers rings by Palmiero have bunches of sapphire briolettes at their centre (POA).
Tsavorite briolettes add a wonderful sense of movement to this black opal Ivy necklace by Alessio Boschi ($145,000).
Rainbow moonstones, labradorites and cat’s eye opal briolettes sit on yellow gold hoops by Melissa Joy Manning (available at Net-a-Porter, £360).
White topaz briolettes jingle around South Sea pearls in these Autore earrings inspired by the Temple of Heaven in Beijing (AUD $26,370).
At the centre of this Chiocciolina ring by de GRISOGONO you'll find amethyst and blue sapphire briolettes (£6,700).
These white gold and diamond earrings by Sybarite have working swings, with the diamond briolettes hemming the skirts to add an extra layer of movement (POA).