The jewellery house distils the universe and then some in its latest high jewellery collection
A surrealist’s fever dream and a gemologist’s fantasy rolled into one, the Tiffany Céleste, which closes Tiffany & Co.’s Blue Book 2024 high jewellery collection for the year, is as cosmically exuberant as its name implies.
Wild imaginings of astronomical mysteries and mythical creatures, a preoccupation of Jean Schlumberger’s, the luxury house’s legendary designer, are enlivened with explosive colour alongside intricate craftsmanship and techniques.
Comprising four new assortments—Owl on a Rock, Phoenix, Unicorn, and Star Burst—the creations channel Schlumberger’s iconic designs through fresh perspectives, courtesy of Nathalie Verdeille, Tiffany & Co.’s chief artistic officer.
“Each chapter began with an intensive study of the subjects or themes that inspired it. For the fall launch of Tiffany Céleste, (the assortments) reference archival Jean Schlumberger masterpieces, such as his Phoenix brooch. Each new design is an ode to Schlumberger’s boundless creativity,” says Verdeille.
For a modern take on the Phoenix motif, Tiffany & Co. imbues the mythological bird with a fiery spirit. Lavishing the selection of brooches, a ring and a necklace with spectacular opals, accompanied by unenhanced sapphires, tsavorites, diamonds, and cushion-cut rubellites, the luxury house literally breathes new life into the well-loved source of inspiration, as it expresses the phoenix’s symbolism.
Elsewhere, the Owl on a Rock brooches offer a fresh twist on Schlumberger’s iconic Bird on a Rock series. Here, the gem-set owls are perched on individual stones, which include black opals, an unenhanced Sri Lankan star sapphire of over 57 carats, tanzanites of over 111, 114 and 117 carats, and, the most stunning of all, a moonstone of over 55 carats.
Staying on-theme, the Star Bust and Unicorn chapters delve deep into Schlumberger’s archival designs while reaching for fantastical new heights. The former recreates the captivating luminosity of starburst activity with designs anchored by crystal opals, accompanied by diamonds that radiate outward. The highlight of this assortment is undoubtedly a breathtaking necklace featuring six oval cabochon crystal opals of over 64 total carats paired with custom-cut diamonds.
The Unicorn, on the other hand, borrows Schlumberger’s Crazy Twist designs, featuring sculptural precious metal encrusted with diamonds, as well as rich purple and pink sapphires to form the horn of the creature. An unmissable offering from this chapter is the brooch set with bi-colour, cushion-cut tourmaline totalling over 25 carats.
Besides the four new aforementioned chapters, the latest offerings from the Blue Book 2024 include new designs from collections released earlier this year, including the Apollo, Arrow, Ray of Light and Shooting Star. A high-wattage cast, indeed, to close the show.
