Tiffany & Co
Based on a pair of dandelion hair pins designed by Louis Comfort Tiffany in
1904, this one-of-a-kind platinum necklace (price upon request) ups the ante from the original with an onslaught of diamonds and a mammoth aquamarine.
Beyond its visual wow factor, the piece demanded a high level of technical know-how. It starts with two head-turning clips. The first is a dandelion made from three variations of custom-cut diamonds: open rose-cut on the outside, round brilliant-cut on the next layer and kiteshaped stones encircling a round 12.32-cut diamond at the centre. Each dandelion ‘seed’ was created to have subtle movement – a feat so challenging “our jewellers were ready to cry”, says Victoria Reynolds, Tiffany & Co’s long-time chief gemmologist. The second clip is an emerald-cut aquamarine of over 31 carats.
Either can be attached to a modern collar necklace with two rows of baguettecut diamonds or to a mixed-cut diamond art deco-style chain (though neither base can hold both adornments at once). The collar can also be worn on its own. In total, the design transforms into five pieces.