Soleil de Chanel transformable necklace in white and yellow gold set with diamonds
Cover Soleil de Chanel transformable necklace in white and yellow gold set with diamonds

The Icons of 1932 fine jewellery collection encapsulates all the hallmarks of Chanel’s heritage

“I wanted to cover women in constellations,” said Gabrielle Chanel, at the launch of her first high jewellery collection in 1932. Called Bijoux de Diamants, the collection would also be the only one that she saw produced in her lifetime. No wonder then that the collection—and the year itself—would prove to be a source of constant inspiration for Chanel. Its latest Icons of 1932 fine jewellery collection, for instance, draws from the maison’s robust stylistic vocabulary, with five different motifs—the comet, sun, feather, ribbon, and lion—that each date back to the year 1932.

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Comète transformable necklace in white gold set with diamonds
Above Comète transformable necklace in white gold set with diamonds

The comet, for instance, was the central motif for the original Bijoux de Diamants collection. Resembling a shower of diamonds streaming through the night sky, the comet motif has been translated today into a transformable necklace. The sun, on the other hand, shone from the brooches found in Mademoiselle Chanel’s apartment at 31 Rue Cambon, while the feather was drawn from the plumes that she liked to pin to her straw hats. Both icons have been transformed into rings in this collection.

The motif of the ribbon, too, was taken from Chanel’s millenary machinations—she used to tie them onto her boaters at the races. In the Icons of 1932 collection, the ribbon takes the form of a coiled bracelet and ring that wrap delicately around the wearer’s wrist and fingers. Finally, the Lion, arguably the most majestic of the icons, is a representation of Mademoiselle Chanel’s astrological sign. In this collection, it takes the form of a delicate yellow gold and diamond brooch.

(Related: A Closer Look at Coco Chanel's Favourite Talismans)

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Sous Le Signe du Lion brooch in yellow gold set with diamonds
Above Sous Le Signe du Lion brooch in yellow gold set with diamonds
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Soleil de Chanel transformable ring in yellow and white gold set with diamonds
Above Soleil de Chanel transformable ring in yellow and white gold set with diamonds

The Icons of 1932 fine jewellery collection strikes an ideal balance between Chanel’s fine and high jewellery worlds, capturing the essence of each of the maison’s biggest icons in precious metal. But because these pieces are a tad more wearable and less ostentatious than their high jewellery counterparts, they make for ideal daywear accessories.

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