In 1932, Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel made her first foray into fine jewellery with Bijoux de Diamants, a collection of light, bright and fluid dazzlers fashioned with the free woman in mind. The absence of clasps, as well as mounts that were light as a feather, showcased her mastery of technique, while convertibility epitomising her eye for design came in the form of a necklace that could be disassembled and worn as bracelets and a brooch.

Marking its 80th anniversary in fine jewellery, the house of Chanel has launched 1932, an 80-piece high jewellery collection comprising designs inspired and reinterpreted from those originally created by mademoiselle Chanel.

Recently unveiled at the China Millennium Monument in Beijing, the full 1932 collection features all the emblematic motifs of Chanel’s high jewellery heritage, from comets, stars and suns, to fringes, fountains, ribbons and feathers. A new member of this stellar family is the lion.

Representing Chanel’s star sign of Leo, this majestic symbol has appeared on the buttons of her garments and in her apartment in Paris, but for the first time in jewellery.

Here, Asia Tatler presents a preview of the collection, before the travelling exhibition makes its way to our shores this August.

 

Etoile Filante Necklace

 
 

The Etoile Filante necklace is a reinterpretation of the original Comete necklace. Embodying the hallmarks of libery and versatility, this sautoir necklace is a cascade of chains with baguette-cut diamonds held by a large diamond star that can be positioned as wished either on the shoulder or chest, or removed and worn as a brooch.

 

Celeste Brooch

Encapsulating Chanel’s inspirations of planets, stars and constellations, the Celeste brooch features a network of diamond stars and concentric rings set with brilliant-cut diamonds that revolves around a 79-carat Baroque cultured pearl from Australia.

 

Franges Cuff

A nod to the jewellery style of the Roaring Twenties, the Franges cuff bracelet in 18-karat white gold twines around the wrist with 263 round-cut diamonds and 10 baguette-cut diamonds.

 

Soleil Secret Watch

Masquerading as a diamond dusted sun on the wrist is the Soleil secret watch, set with 918 brilliant-cut white diamonds and nine round-cut yellow diamonds.

 

Constellation du Lion Necklace

The Constellation du Lion necklace features a lion in 307-carat fancy-cut golden rutilated quartz perched on a diamond comet and accented by an exceptional 32-carat yellow diamond. The five-piece Lion collection also boasts rings, a bracelet and another sautoir necklace, this time with the lion made of 250-carat fancy-cut crystal.

www.chanel.com

Images: Chanel Fine Jewellery