DELIGHTFUL TRILOGY
Unparalleled craftsmanship and technical prowess combine with infinite artistry in ‘Extraordinary Lights’, PIAGET’S new high jewellery collection. françois oosthuizen takes a closer look at these inspiring creations
True to the credo of its founder’s grandson, Valentin Piaget, to “do what has never been done before”, Piaget continues to bedazzle in the world of high jewellery. A new trilogy of creations – Festive Lights, Magical Lights and Infinite Lights – proudly lives up to this legacy – continuing a heritage of excellence, embodied by a blend between the existing and the avant-garde.
At the heart of Piaget lies an enduring devotion to the wonders of gemstones, and a dedication to showcasing the secrets that hide deep within these astonishing creations of nature.
As is evident by ‘Extraordinary Lights’, every aspect of crafting a jewel at Piaget is informed by the history of the Maison, its countless inspirations, and the precision by which gemstones come to life. In the Ateliers de l’extraordinaire, rare skills continue to be harnessed and handed down from generation to generation, honed to perfection over decades of goldsmithing, watchmaking and gem-setting excellence. It is this seamless savoir faire that lies behind the conversion of daring designs into gold, gemstones and precious materials, faultlessly bringing them together into glittering works of wearable art that are at once modern and yet enduringly timeless.
In the first chapter, Festive Lights, festivities begin as the light slowly fades and dusk turn to night. Shimmering lights appear, lanterns are released and soar high into the night, slowly drifting skyward to illuminate the scene below. Under this theme, creations like The Blissfull Lights set with white and yellow diamonds capture the golden glow of the lanterns as they begin their celestial flight heavenward, while The Blazing Night set showcases rubies
from Mozambique and Thailand. Set as a starburst in a necklace, their pear-shaped cuts echo the graceful arc of the lanterns as they glide skyward.
The set of rubies used across the suite took several years to source, and represent the finest possible mix of natural, unheated red colour and eye-clean clarity, meeting Piaget’s ever-exacting standards.
Chapter two, Magical Lights, sees the sky become a theatre of technicolour. Driven by solar winds, the aurora borealis sweep silently through the atmosphere, catapulting streaks and bursts of colour into the heavens, flaring, fading and flaring once more in a kaleidoscope of shimmering hues. The jewels of the stand-out Magical Aurora set seem charged with the energy of this heavenly spectacle, answering these showers of light with glittering illuminations of their own. Taking pride of place in the necklace is a magnificent 16.84 carat Colombian emerald.
In the final chapter, Infinate Lights, as the glow of the spectacle fades, the crowd reunites to contemplate together, still dazzled by the experience and now peacefully rejoicing under starlit skies. The Extraordinary Lights necklace stands out as a truly unique jewel among jewels. Taking Piaget’s craftsmen no less than 450 hours to transform the stunning set of stones into an even more impressive piece of jewellery, the necklace is fully articulated and is as comfortable to wear as it is charismatic to look at.
A spectacular cushion-cut diamond of the most highlyprized Fancy Vivid yellow colour, re-cut by Piaget to become internally flawless and weighing 8.88 carats, combines with a pear-shaped Sri Lankan blue sapphire of 5.34 carats and a pear-shaped Tanzanian red spinel of 3.61 carats, all set with spessartite garnets and diamonds. Together, this collection of gems offers an enchanting spectacle. The colour combination is repeated and resonates in the earrings of the same set, while the matching ring adds a masterful aesthetic with its Fancy Vivid yellow cushion-cut central diamond of 5.54 carats.
Proudly perpetuating a tradition which the brand has been building since its foundation, Piaget stands today as the epitome of elegance, exceeding every expectation in its pursuit of perfection. This year’s Extraordinary Lights collection resonates with ambition as a seamless continuation of the Maison’s journey of excellence. Designed with daring and an unerring eye for detail, each piece bears the hallmarks of a unique blend of expertise, and each has been crafted with individuality and inspiration to delight the most discerning of clientele.