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Do your rocks roll? Do your diamonds shimmy? If not, they could. As we look for jewels that not only look and feel good, but offer that something extra, a wave of contemporary designers has answered this call by surmounting technical challenges to bring us kinetic jewellery designs.

 

The designs of Marie Mas, whose jewels you will be able to see at The Jewellery Cut Live this October, have a playful element to them, embracing the kinetic jewellery trend but also offering two looks for the price of one. Rings, earrings, bracelets and necklaces have hinged elements that can be flipped over to show diamonds on one side, for example, and coloured gems on the other.

 

Another jeweller set to join us at London’s Royal Institution this autumn, Ilona Orel, also designs around movement. The Parisian designer’s signature jewel is a cocktail ring with a diamond-studded globe that can be spun, and she has also created Catherine Wheel-like spinning rainbow sapphire pendants.

 

Drutis Jewellery, which launched last year with an addictive working kaleidoscope necklace that creates beautiful images by tumbling gemstones together, is back with a new kinetic jewellery offering. New design Solomon’s Ring has been constructed to hold opals within rail settings, allowing the gems to slide safely around the ring and reveal hidden messages such as ‘Just breathe’ and ‘I love you’.

 

To satisfy the fidgeters, or those looking for something extraordinary in their jewels, here are 10 of the best kinetic jewellery designs.

1

Bucherer

The 18ct gold Dizzler rings, which can be set with a variety of diamonds and coloured gemstones, can be spun to your heart’s content while on the finger.

£7,100 (white gold and diamonds)

2

Chopard

The Chopard Happy Diamonds collection became an instant hit when it launched in the 1970s. This classic 18ct rose gold pendant from the collection has three free-rolling diamonds within heart-shaped sapphire glass.

£2,430

3

Drutis

The relaxing click of the opal triplets as they slide around this 18ct white gold and platinum ring by Drutis should be enough to put you at ease. For extra reassurance, make sure to reveal the hidden affirmation: Love is everything.

£2,221

4

Ilona Orel

Black diamonds and Paraiba tourmalines map out the world on this 18ct white gold World Famous ring, which spins just like a real globe.

POA

5

Le Kadeau

This 18ct rose gold Dandelion ring comes to life when you spin its top, sending the gold petals into a dizzying dance.

€927

6

Marie Mas

Flip this ring for sheer amusement, or to access a different look. On one side of the 18ct gold Swinging Diamond open ring are two marquise-cut diamonds, on the reverse are two marquise-cut pink tourmalines.

€3,900

7

MyriamSOS

This ring plays on the classic Rubik’s Cube game, with three gem-set levels that can be moved independently to create different looks, or just for fun.

POA

 

 

8

Royal Asscher

This 18ct yellow gold Stars ring mimics a snow globe, but instead of snowflakes floating within the liquid beneath the dome, you’ll find diamonds.

€8,900

9

Yael Sonia

Three round aquamarines roll within an 18ct yellow gold pendant in this design from the Perpetual Motion collection.

$5,350

 

10

Zeemou Zeng

Created to raise funds for Age UK (20% of the sale price from the necklace will be donated to the charity), this rainbow version of the Melody pendant stars red, yellow, blue, green chalcedony and amethyst beads that roll within an 18ct yellow gold pendant.

£1,100

 

All prices were correct on the date of publishing, but may be subject to change

Nothing quite compares to the azure allure of a blue gemstone, and aquamarine is one of the most tantalisingly sparkling examples. Calming and energising in equal measures, this blue gem is not only a talisman for seafarers but also the birthstone for March.

 

Aquamarine is the combination of the Latin words for sea and water – aqua, meaning water, and marine, which translates as ‘of the sea’. And those Romans – ever fond of a dicey overseas voyage in order to expand the Empire – took it very seriously. While the name could easily reflect its oceanic blue hue, legend has it that the gemstone also has the power to protect those at sea.

 

It has also been suggested that aquamarines can calm the stormy waters of a marriage – useful for those who find themselves in emotionally turbulent times on dry land. Aquamarine is the traditional gift to be given on a 19^th wedding anniversary, although perhaps you might need it less should you have managed to get that far without its marital voodoo.

 

For those celebrating a birthday this month, aquamarine is perhaps better known as the March birthstone, rather than an aid to keep Poseidon or a spouse relaxed. Aquamarine jewellery can make for a beautiful birthday gift for those celebrating this month – or indeed a timeless investment for those March babies who prefer to buy their own jewels.

 

So what to look for when buying aquamarine jewellery? Faceted aquamarine is known for its transparency and lustre, so if the gem you’re looking at doesn’t sparkle and has visible inclusions, move on – unless, of course, you enjoy the perfectly imperfect gem style.

 

In terms of colour, this gem – a type of beryl – is considered at its peak when displaying a “moderately strong dark blue to slightly greenish blue”, according to the Gemological Institute of America. And when it comes to toughness, aquamarine registers a 7.5. to 8 on the Mohs scale, meaning it is a tough and durable gem that is suitable for everyday wear.

 

Aquamarines are mined in Africa, Asia, Russia and the US, although the most important source of this blue gem is the rocky hills of Minas Gerais in Brazil. And for exceptional ‘water clear’ aquamarine, this can be found far up in the Karakorum foothills of Pakistan, where miners traverse steep paths as high as 13,000ft to liberate this sought-after version of the gem.

 

 

Ten aquamarine jewels to calm the waters…

7

18ct gold, aquamarine and diamond earrings
£1,450, available at The Jewellery Cut Shop 

Pearls don’t need to be boring or conservative. This is something we’ve learned over the past decade as perfectly imperfect baroque pearls have increased in popularity, and cutting-edge designs using pearls have emerged. Now, Japanese pearl expert Tasaki has taken this narrative one step further with its Tasaki Atelier Living Nature high jewellery collection.

 

Rather than rely on unusually shaped pearls such as baroques or keshi pearls to deliver points of interest, Tasaki has used those classic round pearls in unexpected ways to create designs that it says are inspired by the beauty of nature and express “the brilliance and strength of life filled with hope”.

 

Colour is a major theme in Tasaki Atelier Living Nature. Bold designs are pepped up with rainbows of colour, created through unusual gem combinations. For example, within the Ore chapter of the collection – which takes inspiration from an imagined post-volcanic-eruption landscape – asymmetric pearl earrings that cover the entirety of the ears are adorned with pink opal, aquamarine and peridot. Though strikingly modern, these earrings play with jewellery norms as the coloured gems are looped by either diamond or pearl bezels that nod to traditional cluster settings.

 

Another colourful chapter, Sunset Glow – inspired by sunsets in the desert – uses chequerboards of emerald-cut aquamarines, citrines and amethyst to stir emotions through colour. These hang, framed by diamonds, from drop earrings that are topped and tailed with creamy-white pearls.

 

An exceptional Forest Valley necklace within the Tasaki Atelier Living Nature high jewellery collection intersperses dark Tahitian and white Akoya pearls amongst a lattice-work of aquamarines, sapphires, tourmalines and beryls in a variety of mixed cuts. The colour palate is split between blue and green, creating a picture of lush nature at work.

 

For those who prefer the more minimalistic combination of pearls and precious metal – with a few diamonds, of course – there are less chromatic chapters within the high jewellery presentation that was first shown during Paris Couture Week in January. In these, Tasaki uses a grandeur of form to create show-stopping jewels. Elaborate pearl ear cuffs curl and swoop to create unexpected forms. Sharp geometric shapes or curving talons add an edge that makes these pearls feel more punk than preppy.

 

Whether it is the quirky colourful pearl designs that get your heart racing, or the architectural coolness of the metal-centric designs, Tasaki Atelier Living Nature high jewellery collection is certainly further proof – if proof were needed – that pearls can be flexible, fun and flamboyant.

There are lots of reasons to make Mother’s Day special this year. Treating your mum with an IRL gift after a long year of Zooming. Showing your appreciation to the mother of your children – or yourself – for taking on the extra unpaid roles of school teacher and, seemingly, full-time snack chef.

While chocolates or flowers might be the traditional go-to gifts, jewellery will outlast and outshine both. As we all know, this has been an extraordinary year for mothers; be that intensified juggling as home, work and school lives have merged, or for those with grown-up children, playing an endurance game as face-to-face quality time has been replaced by snatched moments on video calls.

Some partners or children will recognise this. However, this Mother’s Day could also be a moment for mums to treat themselves to a piece of fine jewellery to mark the year that has passed – as a supplement to those cherished, yet ultimately less wearable, handmade cards and sloppily but lovingly crafted breakfasts in bed.

And for those of us not fortunate enough to have our mothers with us on March 14th, but lucky enough to have beautiful memories, a commemorative piece of jewellery can be a tactile reminder of her legacy to keep close every day.

10 jewels made for making memories this Mother’s Day…

9

gold-plated silver Luna earrings
from £199, available at The Jewellery Cut Shop

10

 

Deborah Blyth

baroque pearl and gold vermeil Delphin stud earrings
£230, available at The Jewellery Cut Shop

Another week, another landmark diamond sale at Sotheby’s as the auction house readies to let bidders loose on the world’s largest vivid purple-pink diamond, The Spirit of the Rose.

 

The new listing follows the sale of a 102.39ct flawless oval diamond at Sotheby’s Hong Kong last week. The enormous gem sold for $15.7 million.

 

While lighter in carats, The Spirit of the Rose could in fact dwarf last week’s high-profile diamond sale due to its rare colour. At 14.83ct, the fancy vivid purple-pink internally flawless Russian diamond is the largest of its kind and is expected to fetch between $23 million and $38 million when it goes under the gavel in Geneva next month.

 

“The occurrence of pink diamonds in nature is extremely rare in any size,” says Gary Schuler, worldwide chairman of Sotheby’s jewellery division. “Only 1% of all pink diamonds are larger than 10 carats and only 4% of all pink diamonds are graded Fancy Vivid and display a rich, vivid colour. Having the opportunity to offer a large polished pink diamond of over 10 carats and with the richness of colour and purity of The Spirit of the Rose is therefore truly exceptional. The diamond’s character and immense presence is further enhanced by its perfect cut and oval shape: the numerous facets and shades of pink dance in front of your eyes in a mesmerising way. It is a natural wonder, steeped in Russia’s century-long diamond tradition and cultural heritage.”

 

Sotheby’s believes that the price for this rare stone will be driven higher by a clash of supply and demand in the pink diamond market. As buyers have fallen for pink diamonds, prices have “increased exponentially over the past decade”. At the same time, the world’s most prolific supplier of pink diamonds, the Argyle mine in Australia, is expected to close by the end of the year as supplies dry up. Since the 1980s, it has produced about 90% of the world’s pink diamonds.

 

The stone was discovered and cut by diamond miner Alrosa, faceted from the largest pink crystal ever found in Russia. To honour this, the diamond, which will go on sale at Sotheby’s in Geneva on November 11^th, 2020, has been named after a Russian ballet.

 

Le Spectre de la Rose (The Spirit of the Rose), written by Jean-Louis Vaudoyer, tells the tale of a young girl who dreams of dancing with the spirit of a rose saved from her first ball. It was first performed by the Ballet Russes in Monte Carlo in 1911, with Vaslav Nijinsky dancing the part of the rose, during which he made a spectacular leap that brought him world renown, and Tamara Kaesavina as the young girl.

 

Ahead of the sale in November, The Spirit of the Rose will go on tour. Sotheby’s will exhibit the diamond in Hong Kong, Singapore, Taipei and Geneva over the coming weeks.

Jewellery designer Kassandra Lauren Gordon has launched a fundraising initiative to create a hardship fund for Black jewellers in the UK.

 

This latest bout of activism to promote more diversity in the jewellery industry follows an open letter Gordon wrote to the jewellery industry about her experiences of racism. The letter also included a list of suggested practical steps the industry could take to level the playing field for Black jewellers.

 

Gordon is seeking to raise £14,000, and has already raised more than £5,000 within days of launching the Gofundme page. Many well-known names within the jewellery industry have already pledged their financial support, with the largest donation to date of £1,000 being gifted by Kelly Seymour, founder of jewellery brand Cult of Youth, who was the first recipient of The Jewellery Cut Live Bursary in 2019.

 

The money raised will go to support 10 Black jewellery designers working in the UK, providing a non-repayable grant of £1,000 each. Gordon says that this money will come with “no strings attached”, allowing the designers to use the money in whichever way they see fit.

 

A panel of industry professionals will be appointed to help select the recipients of the grants, who will have to apply for the hardship funds. Both fine and costume jewellers are invited to apply.

 

The remainder of the money will be used to cover the costs associated with running the fund, as well as financing an in-depth report into the disparities of the jewellery industry in relation to race that will explore the experiences of Black jewellers in the UK. The creation of the report, which will be published later this summer, will be overseen by Gordon who, in addition to being a jewellery designer, has a degree in social research and has also worked in the charity sector, managing grants from major players such as The National Lottery, The Department of Health and Comic Relief.

 

Chaumet has released updates to its Joséphine jewellery collection, and the new designs are a celebration of one of the favourite gemstone cuts of the French maison’s most famous patron – the pear.

 

Empress Joséphine Bonepart, wife of Emperor Napoléon Bonepart, was one of Chaumet’s earliest clients, and more than a century later the house continues to pay its respects. Many of Chaumet’s jewels take inspiration from the Empress, who was famed for her flamboyance.

 

In its latest homage to Joséphine, Chaumet has updated its diamond jewellery collection of the same name with designs that celebrate the pear shape, which was said to be one of the Empress’s favourite cuts.

 

 

The pear cut, with a shapely curve at one end that leads up to a sharp point, has long been a favourite amongst gem cutters. The first pear-cut diamond is said to have originated in Flanders in the mid 15^th century. A diamond pioneer named Lodewyk van Bercken is credited with its invention; he is also the man who invented the diamond polishing wheel, which transformed the look of diamonds forever.

 

The asymmetrical pear-shaped diamond is loved for its elegance. When worn in a ring with the narrow tip of the diamond pointing to the end of the finger, a well-proportioned pear can create the illusion of elongating the finger.

 

This year’s additions to Chaumet Joséphine celebrate the pear in all forms. Across the collection, you will find pear-shaped diamonds nestled into gold and diamond pavé V formations, dripping from ear climbers, and adding sparkle to hairlines in delicate tiaras. Pear-cut aquamarine and blue sapphire add colour to the collection, which is otherwise dominated by white diamonds and white gold.

 

Chaumet has also played with the shape of the pear cut as a motif, using it as a frame for small round brilliant diamonds to create jewels with more accessible price tags than would be possible for the same styles using large pear cuts of diamond.

 

The collection also includes watches. These, too, play on the pear shape, with elegant dials that follow the formation of the cut. Some have fully diamond pavé-set dials, others have faceted sapphire glass to give the impression of a pear-cut diamond with a small pear-shaped diamond set at 12 o’clock.

 

In a slick digital presentation of Chaumet Joséphine, which allows you to virtually stroll around the lavish rooms of the brand’s Place Vendome store, the jeweller describes the Empress’s personality as “graceful” and “eternally modern”, and half a millennia on from its invention, much the same can be said for the pear cut.

It’s summer, though the weather might not always agree, and we need to talk about hoops. This earring style has been the fashion zeitgeist for more than a millennia, and a pair of gold hoops always bring a glow to one’s demeanour. 

Not to mention that shining gold lobe adornments can subtly manoeuvre asp-like appraising female eyes (you know the type: well-coiffed scornful stick insects) away from one’s summer rainwater-spritzed frizzy locks.  Yes, hoops will aid the metamorphosis of any drowned rat into a veritable Madonna.

Hoops are not some banal conversation point. Just last summer, The Financial Times deemed them to be “powerful, provocative and political”. Annabel Davidson in The Telegraph, meanwhile, championed them earlier this year as “unfathomably chic” with “eternal allure”.

So pick your forever hoops – vintage yellow gold would naturally be my suggestion, though in the spirit of a BBC announcer, I will say that other hoops are available – and get ready to return to them again and again. This is a trend that time has shown us will never fade – though this summer, hoop earrings are that little bit hotter (even when the weather’s not).

Emma de Sybell is the founder of vintage jewellery company Baroque Rocks. You can see a selection of her hand-picked treasures at The Jewellery Cut Live in September.

Lebanese jewellery designer Karma El Khalil has rounded up some of the most exciting names in contemporary jewellery for a brilliant cause – raising funds to support the people of Beirut following the harrowing explosion that ripped through the centre of the city in August.

 

The jewellers, including well-known names such as Lydia Courteille, Stephen Webster and Selim Mouzanaar, have offered up a selection of jewellery pieces that will be auctioned off this weekend in a fundraiser titled Dear Beirut. Bidding for the auction, which is being hosted digitally by Art Space, will open on Thursday and close on Sunday (October 22^nd to 25^th, 2020).

 

Jewels in the online Dear Beirut auction range from an industrial silver, gold and diamond necklace by Rick Rose’s Los Angeles-based jewellery brand Roseark, expected to fetch at least $600, to a darkly fierce blackened gold and black diamond cocktail ring by Lydia Courteille, expected to sell for as much as $6,000.

 

Karma herself has donated a pair of earrings to the charitable auction. Crafted in 18ct white gold and set with diamonds, the celestial earrings take inspiration from a supernova and are expected to attract bids of between $7,000 and $9,000.

 

The Dear Beirut auction, spearheaded by Karma and four other New York-based women with ties to Lebanon, also includes art, with creations offered up by artists including Mattea Perrotta, Mandy El-Sayegh and Flavie Audi.

 

All proceeds from the sale will be donated to Offre Joie, a fully vetted Lebanese NGO working on the ground in Beirut to lead the reconstruction and rehabilitation efforts in areas the city devastated by the blast.

 

“Our primary concern was the most vulnerable communities in Beirut affected by the blast, which are the artists, LGBTQI, creatives, and migrant workers,” says Karma. “We focused on their immediate needs, which we recognised being the rehabilitation of their neighbourhoods.

 

“To give you some background, in the areas of Mar Mikhael and Karantina, small businesses run by creatives and the LGBTQI community – which include studios, homes, community spaces, LGBTQI safe spaces, and shelters – exist and flourish in relative freedom and safety. These are the only neighbourhoods in Beirut that serve as enclaves or safe havens for these marginalised communities. Sadly, these neighbourhoods encircle the port, which was the epicenter of blast, and were obliterated by the August 4th explosion. So rehabilitating these neighbourhoods is crucial to the support, safety and preservation of these communities.”

 

Ten jewels to bid on at Dear Beirut…

 

All prices were correct on the date of publishing, but may be subject to change