Wrapped in a white box with a big satin ribbon, a gift presented in a Dior box is always going to cause excitement. And to make sure that you choose your loved one just the right present to go inside that box, we recently visited the French maison’s Bond Street flagship in London.
Being The Jewellery Editor, we focussed on watches and jewellery. After taking almost every jewel and watch out of the display cabinets, windows and store room and trying them all on, here is our choice of seasonal gifts that we are sure she will love.
When it comes to colour at Dior the rule is the brighter, the happier and the glossier, the better. Make-you-smile hues are something that the maison excels at, from petite La D de Dior watches, top, to the outsize Milly Carnivora ring, above, in zinging, vivid lacquer.
One of the most versatile gifting options chez Dior is the Rose des Vents collection of jewels, below, which is perfect for everyday. Dainty and cute, it will appeal to younger girls who want a jeans-and-t-shirt look.
Most of the jewels can be reversed and worn in two ways, and colours are vivacious and vibrant thanks to the use of turquoise – the stone du jour – funky, striped malachite, deep-blue lapis lazuli, shimmering mother-of-pearl and, of course, diamonds.
Rings, pendants, bracelets and earrings are made to be collected and mix-and-matched, but star of the collection is the four-strand draped necklace, below, with dozens of two-sided medallions that can be worn as a colourful display of hard stones or flipped to show the more ornate side, with medallion-style discs decorated with gold wind compasses.
Flowers are always blooming in Dior’s garden thanks to Mr. Christian Dior’s love of roses and the Bagatelle diamond ring, below, would surely meet with his approval. Two lifelike rose buds entwine around the finger, each one entirely set with a pavé of diamonds to create an effect as delicate as early morning frost.
On the other end of the floral spectrum is the Milly Carnivora Egratigna Angélique ring, which celebrates the vivacious rapacity of carnivorous flowers with Pop Art audacity. Dangerous yet dazzlingly beautiful, this white gold and lacquer ring is not for wallflowers.
For those who like a statement jewel for the wrist, the superwoman-sized My Dior cuff, below, fits the bill perfectly. Gold is woven to imitate the cane work of the famous chairs as seen in Dior’s couture shows. This version has the added appeal of a rainbow of gemstones set across the entire golden band.
When it comes to women’s watches, Dior’s Victoire de Castellane approaches them with the same philosophy as she does jewels. The most jewel-like of the watches is the La D de Dior. Its simple round shape and plain dial makes it the perfect canvas for adding colourful gemstone dials, brilliantly matching or clashing bezels and a gorgeous array of fashionable straps.
Safely stowed under glass, wafer-thin slices of purple sugilite, delicate pink mother-of-pearl, mysterious black opal, below, or serene green jade, above, offer a constant visual treat few jewels can boast.
With such exciting and brilliant jewels and watches to choose from, you can be sure any one of these will light up her days and nights for many years to come. But for me, it would have to be the La Mini D de Dior opal dial watch, below, should you be listening, Mr. Father Christmas.
