A Different Kind of Precious Stone

Boucheron’s latest high jewellery collection makes a strong case for alternative materials in luxury.

For Ailleurs (“elsewhere” in French), creative director Claire Choisne's latest high jewellery collection for Boucheron, she chose to use plenty of huge stones. Not diamonds or rubies, but actual stones — pebbles, to be precise.

A highlight of this collection, which revolves around five imaginary worlds, is the Galet Diamond necklace. Its key components are smooth, white pebbles hollowed out — a process that unexpectedly resulted in the stones becoming glittery. Adorned with pear-shaped and brilliant-cut diamonds, the neartranslucent pebbles look almost otherworldly. The collection also uses other natural materials, such as rattan and spindle shells, to stunning effect.

From rock crystal to titanium, high jewellery brands have long used relatively inexpensive materials to emphasise that a large part of the value of their jawdropping creations lies in craftsmanship and design.

With such creativity and skill, we would happily pay good money for beach finds such as those in Ailleurs.