Unique Engagement Jewellery from LV’s Blossom Collection

After seasons of larger-than-life statement lines like the Heroic Chains and Trunkies Accumulations, French fashion house Louis Vuitton calls for a downsizing of the extras. Their new fine jewellery collection, Blossoms, is small in size, delicate in appearance and subdued in colour — a sharp contrast to Nicolas Ghesquière’s racy leather dresses and combat boots. A part of the monogram canvas, the flower motif (which has undergone several iterations from Takashi Murakami’s overlaid cherry blossoms to Ghesquière’s hardware) finds itself wrapped in glimmering mother-of-pearl, tiger’s eye and even fiery carnelians. The warm coloured stones are representative of the brand and also include references to its heritage. The gold nail that can be found in the heart of certain petals is similar to that used on Louis Vuitton trunks.

The monogram flower blooms on soothing sautoir necklaces, pendants, bracelets and earrings that hang loose and easy on the skin. Two high jewellery pieces — a long chain sprinkled with diamonds and a necklace with medallions of sculpted mother-of-pearl — are an on-trend nod to contemporary layering.

One of the notable innovations includes the Blossom watches, featuring a three-dimensional flower crafted from a single piece of mother-of-pearl. Shades of blue or pink are applied by hand to the reverse for a nuanced effect. The Tambour Monogram Tourbillon features a movement attributed to Louis Vuitton’s Fabrique du Temps. This mechanism allows one to read time while diamond-studded cubes prance around the central flower of the watch.

While a generous dose of je ne sais quoi adds to its understated elegance, one cannot discount the refined craftsmanship that is the undeniable cornerstone of the French maison.

Q & A with Hamdi Chatti

The vice president of Louis Vuitton Watches and Jewellery shares with us insider notes on the making of a carefully balanced collection.

Why has Louis Vuitton picked the floral motif to be the key element of this collection?
“In the late 19th century, art nouveau was evident when Gaston Vuitton created the monogram. It was in this environment that the celebration of mother nature inspired the essence of the monogram. Today, the monogram flower represents both the heritage and savoir faire of the house.”

What was the reason behind selecting these specific ornamented gems?
“Carnelian, tiger’s eye and mother- of-pearl represent the crop of premium quality gems which are perfect for fine jewellery pieces. They are polished and not faceted or painted, which give it a beautiful 3D look and colour.”

Do the colours have a symbolic meaning?
“The key colours used, red (carnelian), gold (tiger’s eye) and white (mother-of-pearl) are seen in the maison’s heritage and in the personalisation of our trunks.”

What are the challenges you faced while working on this line?
“The fact that stones have to be first sourced individually to ensure the finest quality as well as the craftsmanship. We also needed to maintain the consistency of colour, polishing and shaping without breaking them.”

What are the special features of the watches?
“The craftsmanship and technique of working with mother-of-pearl on watches is considered a métiers d’art, which is rare to find even in watches in the luxury industry. This is one of the key offerings available at Louis Vuitton today.”