Technique Magnifique

At the heart of showpieces presented by the most influential maisons are historically innovative and often proprietary techniques developed and refined by their master craftsmen through time. Here are 12 incredible examples of their jewellery-making exper

CARTIER PANTHER FUR SETTING

Ever since the first incarnation of the Cartier panther on a 1914 wristwatch as a spotted motif, the creature has been reimagined in countless ways that span realism to abstraction. A proprietary craft developed for its beloved house icon is the panther fur setting, which features individual gemstones encircled by tiny gold threads folded over each stone to resemble the animal’s coat. For a most lifelike and graceful feline, honeycomb openwork, articulation work, onyx and gemstone decor, and sculptural diamod paving are also always employed. All the elements are displayed here on these La Panthère de Cartier gold bracelets. Both set with emerald eyes and onyx spots, the one on the left boasts 923 brilliant-cut diamonds totalling 10.30 carats, while the piece on the right has 225 brilliant-cut diamonds weighing 2.51 carats.

CHANEL TWEED TECHNIQUE

Only a couturier synonymous with tweed like Chanel would imagine, and accept the challenge of interpreting the woollen fabric as jewellery art. Just last year, the maison launched its Tweed de Chanel collection debuting this new technique developed by its high jewellery workshop. It comprises special articulation features that breathe movement, suppleness and lusciousness into precious metal. Gems are also layered and intertwined on several planes, replicating the irregular texture and depth of tweed. Each gemstone setting has also been pared back to a minimalist extreme to reduce the unevenness of the grain, making every piece soft to the touch. Depicted here are a Tweed Contrasté yellow gold and platinum earring with diamonds, pearls and onyx, and the Tweed Brodé white gold and diamond brooch.

TIFFANY & CO. METALWORKING

Certainly a house founded in 1837 that counts sterling silverware as one of its signatures would be a specialist in metalworking. Tiffany & Co.’s heritage in this craft later extended to precious metals for luxury jewellery, and reached the height of sophistication ever since Jean Schlumberger (1907-1987) joined the company in 1956. With a free rein to every available resource, the French-born Schlumberger, one of the most important jewellers in the 20th century, could turn his fantastical flora and fauna designs into reality. Making them possible were a huge repertoire of in-house techniques to transform gold and platinum into sculptural, evocative jewels. This Schlumberger Surreal Floret platinum and diamond bracelet is an exemplary showcase: Instead of a rigid structure, this piece is made of individual fully diamond-set strands that are interwoven and looped together. Platinum is also harder to manipulate than gold, and cannot be remelted for reuse.

CHAUMET FIL COUTEAU TECHNIQUE

French for knife-edge thread, the fil couteau is a signature technique at Chaumet, which is renowned for jewels that fuse elegance with airy lightness. It is an openwork technique that sets gemstones on very fine strips or bars of metal – such that light fully penetrates the creation, illuminating the stones and causing the metal structure to appear like it has nearly vanished. The technique also imbues the piece with incredible fluidity and lightness. This wearability is a trademark feature of the Parisian house, which began making diadems, tiaras and transformable jewels for European royalty requiring these attributes since the 18th century. Conceived for the modern-day princess is this Joséphine Valse Impériale tiara in white gold with pear-shaped and brilliant-cut diamonds.

BULGARI TUBOGAS TECHNIQUE

“Tubogas” is named after the type of gas pipes common during the second industrial revolution in the late 19th century, when the technique was invented. The flexible, hollow band is made by wrapping flat strips of gold tightly around a coiled spring without soldering, and was featured by jewellers in the 1930s and ’40s. Bulgari revived the technique in the ’70s, after which it won great acclaim for the expensive and labourintensive innovation of creating tubogas coils in high-tech steel. In a stroke of ingenuity, the technique was combined with the Roman jeweller’s house symbol of a snake to create the wildly popular Serpenti Tubogas. This Spacecruisers high jewellery necklace puts the focus on the flawless construction of the pink gold tubogas band, as well as the beauty of the gemstones: a 25.33-carat rubellite, a 34.70-carat citrine, a 43.81-carat topaz, a 46.20-carat tanzanite, a 24.46-carat amethyst, 30 step-cut diamonds and pavé-set diamonds.

VAN CLEEF & ARPELS MYSTERY SETTING

One of the most recognisable and laborious settings ever, Van Cleef & Arpels’ mystery setting was patented in 1936 and has since remained an important hallmark. It features individually precision-cut stones that are inserted one by one into gold rails carved into a piece of jewel. The tightly fitted stones cover the entire set surface smoothly and continuously, creating a soft lustre and showing no metal. Besides the traditional mystery setting, the jeweller also developed variations including the navette mystery setting and vitrail mystery setting – placing the limelight squarely on the gems. This artistic achievement is epitomised by the Sous les étoiles Terre et Lune white and rose gold bracelet with traditional mystery-set sapphires, blue and yellow sapphires, and diamonds.