D FOR DESIRE
Rich jewel tones get a generous nod with Dior’s new watch collection
If passion contours the narrative of desire; jewellery punctuates it. It blurs the line between seduction and symbolism; it underwrites the power of legacy. And as most whimsical aesthetes will attest; in times defined by disposables, its haunting allure has passed over the passage of time to inspire genres and generations.
Much like talent, taste is an inherited quality. My taste for jewellery comes from my grandmother, Slyvia Hennessy. She wore jewels matching her outfits and would prodigiously change them at least thrice a week. Impeccable make- up, she believed, was the perfect complement to flawless sartorial style. Of course, she wasn’t a typical grandmother in the classical sense. She was a bit like a Hollywood heroine. She lived in a totally eccentric world peppered with an eclectic mix of writers, Hollywood stars and fashion designers. It was through my grandmother’s jet set lifestyle that I developed a fascination for excess, both in terms of volume and disproportionate size of jewels. Through the eyes of a child, her gem stones mounted in a classic manner, seemed almost enormous to me and appealed to my senses. It was this inspiration that lent the La D de Dior collection of watches a dual personality: mini ( 19mm) and maxi ( 42mm) versions.
My first creation for La D de Dior dates back to 2003 when I created the first timepiece that was a tribute to the excellence of our savoir faire. The incredible heritage of handmade craftsmanship of the Parisian ateliers has seduced the most hardboiled critic. Memories, as I have mentioned earlier, played muse and were my earliest inspirations. I was inspired by a childhood memory: the yellow gold timepieces with hard stone dials worn by men in the 1970s. I interpreted this watch style in a feminine way by re- imagining it as romantic momento donned by a woman, who has borrowed it from her lover. Classical shapes, reliable materials and movements juxtaposed with a cheerful style, precious stones, noble and eternal metals and lacquered finish define Dior jewellery watches that are endorsed by the poetic imprimatur of Dior Fine Jewellery and speak for the brand.
For me, watch making has to be timeless; designed in the spirit of a “classic”; so initially, the aesthetics of my watch design were very different from my jewellery collections. But later on, for new versions, I allowed myself the same audacity as in the jewellery designs: snow settings and carving the face of the dial in opal ( my favourite stone). Snow setting is a very rare technique used in fine jewellery that requires a precise know- how. The brilliant cut stones have different weights ( carats) and are set on a random pattern. It was inspired from the fine jewellery collection “Gourmettede Dior”.
In jewellery, I love strange colours— very bright and so strong that they almost look fake— really bright pink, blue of a tourmaline and different greens all melded together. Despite my fondness for colour, Opal is my real obsession, for it holds all the colours in one stone, which is precisely what enthused me to design the opal time pieces. Strictly selected for their beauty, these stones boast rare quality and are restricted to a limited edition series of just 10 pieces. The opal is embellished with a black fire opal dial whose iridescent reflection makes the sober chic of the La D de Dior look simply sublime.
It is a similar passion for ornamental stones, colour and contrasts that have inspired me to design the Dior 2012 jewellery collection. Each piece in this collection is a tribute to the couture line replete with colourful cocktail dresses. This collection gently re- asserts the Dior ideal of today’s woman who represents the tantalising balance between refinement and intricate delicacy.
Even the watches bespeak the bold aesthetic of the Dior Jewellery design. Crafted in neon and bright hues of purple, turquoise and emerald, the watches can be adorned not only as easy everyday wear but can to compliment and illuminate an evening dress. Christian Dior once said, “Black and white might well suffice, but why deprive oneself of colour.” Dazzling with the sparkle of diamonds and the opacity of ornamental stones, the collection is a mesmerising combination of my personal link to this woven motif, which is also emblematic of the house of Dior.
Although jewellery and watches are worn by women, very often they are thought out, designed, made, sold and bought by men. Naturally, they speak more of power than of sensuality and even their amorous semantics can summon the ring of property rights and male chauvinism. On the other hand, Dior time pieces focus on the woman as the spotlight: she becomes the alpha and the omega; the author and the reader, the creator and the receiver. Metaphorically, the woman is the majestically mounted central stone. And in the real world, she has come into her own and is a totally independent client in her own right.