Tag: Buccellati

Linear Silvers

Jewellery is always an investment worth making and now more than ever, there has been an influx in sales. We’re familiar with the dazzle of Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpels. As of late, other labels too are catching our eye.

Chaumet Ring

On the runways, jewellery frequently plays a supporting role as a lovely decoration or a subtle accent that you only see when you zoom in.

Chopard Pendant

But jewellery may also reveal a lot about a person’s personality and sense of style, whether it be basic or maximalist, daring or conservative.

Chopard Ring

It provides insight into a person’s priorities and interests, whether they be family and craft as demonstrated by antique artifacts and hand-made trinkets, or nature with crystals and sustainable materials.

Cartier Bracelet

Elsewhere, fashion’s artistic inclinations came through in astonishing statement hoops, wire-like sculptures, and extra-long fringe earrings, elevating the body to a walking canvas.

Buccellati Pendant

 

(Text: Joseff Musa)

Neck’s Best Thing: Stunning décolleté dazzlers for this season’s soirées

There’s no stronger way to make a statement than to adorn your neck with a stunning, sparkling necklace. Whether it’s a thick choker-style design like Bulgari’s Mediterranean Queen necklace, open-worked creations like Van Cleef & Arpels’ Trésor Astral number or dangling dazzlers like Chanel’s Allure Céleste necklace, there are attention-grabbing bejewelled bijouterie for every special occasion.

To ensure your statement necklace does all the talking, opting for the right neckline is key. Strapless, off-the-shoulder or v-neck gowns or tops are a must when it comes to showing off your chosen accessory to perfection. Avoid clashing with strong patterns or detailing. Rather, monochromatic ensembles can pair perfectly with a strong necklace, provided that it is form-fitting and one colour throughout. However you choose to match your stunning piece of jewellery, with these gorgeous creations, all eyes are sure to be on you.

In the photos:

  1. Van Cleef & Arpels Trésor Astral
  2. Graff New Dawn
  3. Buccellati Étoilée
  4. Bulgari Mediterranean Queen
  5. Harry Winston Blue Python
  6. Chanel Allure Céleste
  7. Gübelin Dancing Dunes 

(Text: Tenzing Thondup)

 

Also Read: The sensual dual-appeal of transformable jewellery

Rose Hip: The lasting allure of rose gold jewellery

With spring subsiding into full on-summer sun, it’s the perfect time to review this season’s chicest hue – rose gold. This most alluring of alloys never fails to grant your skin the subtlest of blushes, ensuring you of a sun-kissed halo glow wherever you go. While, today, this unique pink shade is all the rage in haute joaillerie circles, it actually originally rose to fame some two centuries ago, largely on account of the influence Peter Carl Fabergé, that most renowned of Russian jewellers.

Image: Messika Paris Released Sun necklace; Chaumet Josephine Collection ring; Piaget Wings of Light ring; Suzanne Kalan Audrey ring; Selim Mouzannar Mina necklace; Daniela Villegas Chameleon ring; De Beers Enchanted Lotus ring

This innovative craftsman was the among the first to incorporate rose gold, at the time a somewhat novel material, into his designs, most notably in the shape of his iconic Fabergé eggs. So famous did these accessories become that the material initially came to fame as ‘Russian Gold’, before wider international use saw the current more general term adopted 

Image: Cartier Juste un Clou bracelet; Buccellati Aubade cocktail earrings; Ileana Makri Grass Seed ring; FRED ring; Repossi Antifer ring; Pomellato Fantine ring; Versace Trésor de la Mer choker

The actual colour of the material can vary from an orange-tinted yellow to a deep red depending on the ratio of yellow gold to copper, with an increased proportion of the latter bestowing more of a scarlet tinge to the alloy, Malleable to the extreme, it serves as the perfect counterpoint to a plethora of precious gemstones, as perfectly evidenced by both Piaget’s multi-hued Wings of Light ring and Versace’s ocean-inspired Trésor de la Mer necklace.

Cuff Love: Gifts for the wrists…

Images: Cartier Juste un Clou bracelet; Tiffany & Co. Elsa Peretti Bone cuffs

Few jewellery designs can hope to match the longevity of the cuff bracelet. Indeed, these open C-shaped creations first came to prominence some 7,000 years back, a time when they were worn by both male and female members of ancient Incan, Mayan, Roman and Egyptian royalty. Crafted from a variety of metals and set with precious gemstones, these accessories served as symbols of their undeniably lofty status.

Images: Gucci bracelet; FRED Collier bracelet; Chopard Precious Lace bracelet; Chaumet Perspectives de Chaumet yellow gold cuff; Jewelry by Marsha cuff; Diamond Scene wide diamond cuff.

In the intervening millennia since those long-ago days, cuff bracelets – those designed to adorn the wrist with nary a clasp or fastening in sight – remain a constant of the haute joaillerie world. Now largely favoured by the fairer sex, they can be worn on one hand as a solo piece or simultaneously on two in a style akin to the amulets of old.

Imaes: Fortunoff diamond and sapphire cuff; Takahiromiyashita Thesoloist silver single bone shaped cuff; Buccellati Ortensia cuff; Bahdos two-tone diamond cuff bracelet; Page Sargisson hand-carved bracelet; Nicole Rose Fine Jewelry cuff bracelet

Available in a myriad of hues and sizes, while being flexible to the extreme, the more minimalist designs – notably Cartier’s Juste un Clou creation or Chopard’s Precious Lace bracelet – can easily be worn on an everyday basis. When dressing up for special occasions, though, a more ostentatious look be guaranteed through the deployment of larger statement pieces, such as Fortunoff’s dazzling sapphire-and-diamond number or Buccellati’s Ortensia cuff.

 

Lucky colours to wear on the first day of CNY

Start the Year of the Ox by welcoming in good luck, health and fortune with the lucky colours that match your zodiac sign. Whether you’re looking for love or a boost in your career, these auspicious colours to wear on the first day of Chinese New Year will bless you with a prosperous 2021.

gafencu magazine lucky colour chinese new year - Rat

Balmain Blazer; YSL blouse; Givenchy pencil skirt; Bottega Venetta chained pouch and hoop earrings; Omega Constellation watch

Year of the Rat

White = Good business
Gold = More wealth
Black = Safety
Blue = Calm emotions

gafencu magazine lucky colour chinese new year - Ox

Barena Venezia blazer; Berluti scritto messenger bag; Bottega Veneta belt; Giorgio Armani sweater; Prada trousers

Year of the Ox

Red = Good business
Gold = More wealth
Purple = Love
Earthy = Good health

gafencu magazine lucky colour chinese new year - Tiger

Versace gold medusa jacket and shoes; Giorgio Armani bag; green tourmaline ring; by Ryder Diamonds; Gucci necklace; Rado golden horse automatic watch

Year of the Tiger

Forest Green = Good business
Gold = More wealth
White = Love
Black = Good health

gafencu magazine lucky colour chinese new year - Rabbit

YSL cashmere and wool jacket; Marni small leather tote;  fancy yellow white earrings by Ryder Diamonds; Versace medusa necklace; ribbed trousers by Victoria Beckham

Year of the Rabbit

Blue = Good business
Gold = More wealth
Yellow = Ward off bad spirits
Orange = Love

gafencu magazine lucky colour chinese new year - Dragon

Marni knit dress; Burberry ankle boots; Hermès silk bag; Fenty Beauty gloss bomb

Year of the Dragon

Red = Good business
Yellow = More wealth
Purple = Love
Brown = Happiness

gafencua magazine lucky colour chinese new year - Snake

Marni knit pullover; Joseph leather leggings; Ports bag; Chaumet link necklace; Chopard happy hearts bracelet

Year of the Snake

Red = Good business
Gold: More wealth
Orange + Red = Love
Green = Happiness

gafencu magazine lucky colour chinese new year - Horse

YSL runway look and silk blouse; Giorgio Armani purse; Fenty Beauty gloss bomb

Year of the Horse

Red + Purple = Good business
Pink = Love
Green = Good health

gafencu magazine lucky colour chinese new year - Goat

Joseph Cenda wool and and cashmere jacket; Jimmy Choo heels; Astteria yellow diamond necklace; Marni small leather tote; Fenty Beaty gloss bomb

Year of the Goat

Orange + Red = Good business
Yellow = More wealth
Bright Yellow = Love
Beige = Good health

gafencu magazine lucky colour chinese new year - Monkey

Dior hoop earrings; Burberry sunglasses; shoes by Golden Goose; Buccellati Macri Classica diamond bracelets

Year of the Monkey

White = Good business
Gold = More wealth
Golden Brown = Good health

gafencu magazine lucky colour chinese new year - Rooster

Canada Goose sleeveless vest; money gold cloth mask by Silkism; Omega Trésor watch; Burberry gold-plated bangle; necklace by Ryder Diamonds

Year of the Rooster

Silver = Good business
Gold = More wealth
White = Love
Yellow = Good health

gafencu magazine lucky colour chinese new year - Dog

Chloe FW20-21 runway look; Bottega Venetta clutch; Breguet Reine de Naples watch

Year of the Dog

Red = Good business
Light Yellow = More wealth
Wine Red = Love
Brown = Good health

gafencu magazine lucky colour chinese new year - Pig

Kingsmen suit jacket and pants; Louis Vuitton long necklace; Cushion diamond ring by Ryder Diamonds; Berluti cashmere scarf

Year of the Pig

Black + White = Good business
Gold = More wealth
Light blue = Love
Dark green = Good health

Drop Down Gorgeous: Dangling designs that enhance your décolleté

It’s no secret that choosing the right pair of earrings can enhance or detract from your overall style. There is one particular category of these gem-studded jewellery, though, whose versatility and dazzling nature have been embraced for its ability to elevate pretty much any look – dangling earrings. 
 

Gucci Hortus Deliciarum earrings; Bulgari Serpenti earrings; Buccellati Cocktail Collection earrings; Chaumet Perspectives de Chaumet earrings; Peonia Gala Collection earrings; niin Vida amazonite drop pendant earrings; David Yurman Novella Chandelier earrings; Boucheron Plume de Jour earrings

Thanks to their elongated appeal, these flowing designs are known for their ability to create the illusion of a slimmer face and enhance the neckline. Embracing this inherent flexibility, a plethora of the world’s leading haute joaillerie maisons have served up a staggering array of these designs to suit any occasion. 

Cartier [Sur] Naturel High Jewellery Liliale earrings; Chopard Red Carpet Collection drop earrings; Graff multi-coloured diamond earrings; Boucheron Bleu Inifini earrings; Sarah Zhuang Mermaid earrings; Harry Winston The New York Collection earrings; Piaget earrings

If you’re seeking to add a subtle flourish to your daytime outfit, you could do far worse than don the sleek Bleu Infini earrings from French luxury label Boucheron. If a monochrome outfit is more your style, the multi-coloured aesthetic of Graff’s diamond-studded design is just the ticket to add a splash of colour. Finally, for the perfect statement piece to round out your glam gala look, opt for larger, bejewelled creations, such as Cartier’s [Sur] Naturel Liliale earrings or the gorgeous sapphire-and-diamond Harry Winston danglers.

 
 

Buccellati unveils gorgeous, geometrically inspired new Mini Rombi Collection

For over a century now, Italian haute joaillerie label Buccellati consistently wowed the world’s high jewellery aficionados with its masterful handcraftsmanship and stunning gemstone designs. The latest chapter of this story now unfolds in the form of its all-new Mini Rombi Collection. 

Buccellati Mini Rombi Collection 3

A new and refreshingly minimalist take on the brand’s iconic Rombi line, the Mini Rombi Collection transforms those emblematic designs into comfortable yet undeniably chic everyday-wear creations, without ever once eschewing on painstaking attention to detail or reducing the effect it has on wearers and viewers alike. 

Buccellati Mini Rombi Collection 2

The dominant motif of this collection is the use of unique geometric elements to enhance the gemstones on every piece. Take, for instance, the ‘20s-era rhomboidal lozenges, calling to mind the intricacies and beauty of ancient Persian tapestry. 

Buccellati Mini Rombi Collection

From rings to pendants to earrings, every piece of Buccellati’s Mini Rombi Collection is a work of art, blending old and new in a wholly appealing fashion. An eye on flexibility is also inherent here, with the designs coming in either white or yellow gold to suit your mood, all, of course, embellished with a glittering array of sparkling diamonds. 

Buccellati Mini Rombi Collection 4

Drop Earrings: What celebrities are wearing on red carpets?

If red carpet trends are anything to go by, there’s one look that celebrities the world over seem to be digging these days – haute couture gowns, swept-up hair and drop earrings. Be it at Cannes or charity galas or other high-society events, it’s easy to understand why this look is so popular with A-listers.

At the centre of this look is of course an eye-catching, glittering, twinkling pair of earrings that spells glam all the way. Choose from the high jewellery collections from the acclaimed purveyors of luxury jewellery, from Chopard’s Red Carpet Collection to Chaumet’s Josephine Aigrette earrings, but do remember it’s a fine line between chic and crass, so here’s out top five picks to help you make the right choice every time.

 

Star Power: Cosmic jewellery in contemporary culture

Despite personkind having first set foot on the moon some 50 years ago, intermittently successful unmanned missions to Mars and, most recently, candid snaps of a black hole at play, outer space remains very much the Great Unknown, a region that fascinates and terrifies mere earthbound mortals in almost equal measure. The Final Frontier, as it was memorably billed by one TV sci-fi franchise, continues to inspire in countless mediums, with its depths explored almost as thoroughly by the human imagination as by any high-tech NASA probe.

Cosmic jewellery pieces

With the night sky seemingly a celestial diamond array, it’s no surprise that haute joaillerie brands have so oft looked to the heavens for inspiration, with the sun, the moon and the stars frequently motifed in cosmic jewellery designs by many of the leading marques. This is evident in such high-end offerings as Cartier’s Les Galaxies de Cartier collection or Piaget’s Sunlight Escape collection.

While some jewellery designers have turned to otherworldly materials to render their works in a truly stellar style – most notably milky quartz, moonstones or rock crystals – others have opted for iconic astral avatars. Of the latter, this has seen Chopard’s Happy Diamonds pendant necklace give the sun star billing, while Buccellati’s black-gold Macri cuff bracelet has more than a little of the night about it.

Of course, given this is the world of haute joaillerie, regardless of any piece’s lunar leanings or solar stylings, the price of any cosmic jewellery, too, is almost guaranteed to be somewhat astronomical.

 

Evergreen Feelings: this season’s best Christmas tree ornaments

According to psychologists, families who put up their Christmas decorations early are generally happier than their counterparts who hold off until the last minute, and here at Gafencu, we don’t need to be told to be jolly twice. With the festive season mere weeks away, we’re setting out to embrace the holiday spirit in full by sharing our recommendations for the season’s most darling Christmas tree ornaments, alongside a complimentary history lesson of the beloved holiday tradition. 

Most know that bringing home and decorating an Evergreen tree is a cherished holiday tradition, but where exactly did this long-held custom originate from? While the roots of today’s modern Christmas tree can be traced to Northern Europe thousands of years ago, the first documented use of such foliage for the festive season dates back to the 15th-16th century in Estonia and Latvia. A few decades later in medieval Livonia and early-Modern Germany, the custom of decorating trees in their homes was started by local Protestants. Fast forward to today, and families the world over have adopted the practice, including our very own Hong Kong.

In the 19th century, upper class families in the Western World began to partake in the tradition too, sprucing up their Christmas trees with ribbons, ornaments, tinsel, and sweets. In modern times, Christmas trees are a staple of many a household’s living room, decorated not only with heirloom ornaments from the past but with contemporary decor such as peppermint candy-canes and string lights.

With such a wide assortment of ornaments and decorations to choose from, we’ve put together our list of the prettiest items to hang from your Christmas tree.

 

Text: Bailey Atkinson