BOUCHERON HIGH JEWELRY – THE POWER OF COUTURE
In the rarefied world of high jewelry, few names carry the weight and reverence of Boucheron. Established in 1858 by Frédéric Boucheron, this iconic French jewelry house has become synonymous with exceptional craftsmanship, timeless sophistication, and a bold approach to design. Over the years, Boucheron has produced high jewelry pieces that tell a story of luxury, artistry, and passion. The Histoire De Style collection – the newest addition to the Boucheron legacy – celebrates the couture heritage of its founder, with Creative Director Claire Choisne drawing inspiration from ceremonial attire. The result? An immaculate lineup of 24 high jewelry pieces that represent haute joaillerie at its finest.
Rooted in Couture
The history of Boucheron is rooted in couture. Louis Boucheron, the founder’s father, began working as a draper in Paris in 1817. Five years later, his business was flourishing and specializing in precious materials like silk and lace. Frédéric Boucheron was born in 1830, welcomed into a world of delicate details and artistry – a background that directly impacted his approach to jewelry making throughout the 19th century.
“Bows, knits, grosgrain, pompoms, and lace abound in our archives,” Claire Choisene states. “For this fourth edition of Histoire de Style, I decided to explore the theme of couture, without the fuss.”
Histoire de Style
Taking a bold and on-brand approach to this latest collection, Claire focused on the aesthetics of ceremonial attire as an unexpected muse. While ceremonial attire tends to be synonymous with stiffness, she “deconstructed the symbols of power” to reappropriate them into something precious and fluid – 24 high jewelry masterpieces that could be worn in a multitude of ways and showcase the wearer’s individual style.
“The difficulty in crafting this collection was to bring the characteristics of fabric to rigid gold and stones,” the Creative Director explains.
Still, the Boucheron craftsmen succeeded in transforming diamonds, metals, and rock crystal into jewelry that mimics the elegance and suppleness of fine fabrics. It’s nothing short of a triumph for the world of high jewelry, as Histoire de Style breaks free from material limitations.
A Labor of Love
One of the most remarkable aspects of the Histoire de Style collection is the number of hours dedicated to making each piece. The immaculate MÉDAILLES set, for example – a circle of 15 pendants which can be worn several ways – amassed 2,230 hours of labor during its creation.
According to the Boucheron team: “To create the pennants that carry the medallions, the Maison’s artisans shaped 15 crystal blocks – each cut to fit the piece – in such a way that their streaks perfectly resemble the grosgrain texture of a ribbon. After the medallions are cut, the craftsmen carve them, one by one, according to the principle of glyphic art, an age-old savoir-faire that consists of manually engraving crystal in high or low relief. Two medallions, edged with diamonds, may be detached from the necklace and worn as brooches on the lapel of a jacket.”
Other notable pieces in the collection include TRICOT – a rock crystal knit, 5-strand choker that took 1,070 to complete – and a statement bow necklace made of 435 frosted baguette-cut rock crystals, individually hand-cut and fitted into a white gold framework. The total number of labor hours amounted to 2,600.
The Epitome of High Jewelry
With its team of master artisans, whose skills are passed down through generations, the house of Boucheron is the epitome of high jewelry. Its artisans work with the finest materials, from rare gemstones to the purest gold and platinum. By combining materials like rock crystal and diamonds in an avant-garde fashion – as demonstrated in the latest Histoire de Style collection – Boucheron continues to create pieces that are as unique as they are luxurious.
Visit boucheron.com to see more high jewelry collections.