Colourful Legacy
Ever mindful of its “beauty first“maxim, Moussaieff has over the years earned its reputation as a connoisseur and leader in the world of coloured diamonds, writes Tamara Moussaieff
The Moussaieffs have been in the jewellery business for 800 years. Members of my family encrusted the robes of Genghis Khan with precious stones and have supplied gems to Eastern dignitaries and royals for centuries. When my Austrian-born mother, Alisa, married Shlomo Moussaieff, she became part of this illustrious legacy. Shlomo was of Bukharan Jewish descent, and Bukhara is one of the jewels of the fabled Silk Road. Its people weren’t into understatement; they believed in expressing happiness and celebration through their jewellery. And Alisa took with alacrity and delight to the Bakharan aesthetic of combining strong contrasting colours.
At this year’s Paris Biennale, Moussaieff showcased the Feather necklace, with a 57.21-carat Paraiba tourmaline at its heart, which was inspired by a piece owned by Empress Eugenie, Napoleon III’S wife, exhibited in Paris in 1868. The contrast between its deeply saturated Paraiba crystal and its white surroundings is mesmerising. The graceful, highly artistic flow of the curves make this dramatic feather almost mystical. In choosing this particular Paraiba crystal, my mother noted that the super clear, highly saturated blue recalled the vivid blue of a peacock feather, adding a note of realism to the abstract design.
Moussaieff is renowned for the depth of its experience with rare natural coloured diamonds. A fine example is the pictured pair of blue and pink diamond earrings. Blue diamonds are especially rare. And when you cut blues into a round shape, it is very difficult to get even colour saturation because of the shape. The colour tends to wash out from
the side. Here, stunning in their deceptive simplicity, we have two round and two pear-shaped blues of perfectly matching, even saturation and tone, combined with vibrant pink marquises.
Another Moussaieff masterpiece is our crossover pink and blue diamond marquise ring. The sublime colour combination of the top-quality coloured diamonds and the perfectly matched shapes make this ring unique. The contrasting saturated colours of pink and blue make this investment piece wearable art. The strengths and merit of the design do for the wearer what the stones alone could never do.
The jewel in Moussaieff’s crown has to be the 5.11-carat Moussaieff Red. Unique in its unconventional dramatic shape, it is the largest true red diamond in the world and has been exhibited at the Smithsonian Institution. But, alas for collectors, my mother is not contemplating selling it.