Naturalistic yet novel

Jewellery has often looked to nature for inspiration, and the result has been the predictably beautiful creations that adorn many a treasure chest. From flowers and fruits to birds and animals, nature has left a mark in precious metals and stone. But this year, we saw three high jewellery brands take on some unexpected naturalistic symbols and create beautiful jewels inspired by them.

From sheafs of wheat at Chanel, prickly cacti at Cartier and oak and laurel leaves at Chaumet, it is another side of nature that seems to be making an impression this year.

Golden inspiration Launched during Couture Week in Paris earlier this year, the Les Blés de Chanel collection is inspired by the stalk of wheat - better known as a symbol of harvest and fertility, and often used in art to represent the same. While other motifs used in Chanel’s fine jewellery collections are more obviously representative of the brand — like camelias, pearls, bows and the lion — wheat stalks are a lesser known part of the lore surrounding Coco Chanel. Even in her iconic Rue de Cambon residence, sheafs of wheat were used as a motif for good luck, most notably in a bronze table made by Robert Goossens. The wheat symbol is used liberally in the Coco Chanel Suite at the Ritz Paris as well, as decor inspiration, so it’s no stretch that the maison would be inspired by a simple sheaf of wheat. What does stand out though is how such a commonplace naturalistic image finds representation in gold and yellow sapphires to form pieces that capture movement in solid metal.

The humble sheaf of wheat also finds representation in precious metal at the house of Chaumet, alongside oak, laurel and lily. For Chaumet, it was Ceres, the mythological goddess of harvest who wore a crown or a wreath made of ears of wheat, Daphne who ran from Apollo and turned into a laurel tree and the oak that was considered a symbol of Zeus that inspired the La Nature de Chaumet collection. This symbolic garden of Chaumet’s find interpretation in white gold and brilliant cut diamonds for Le Ble, Burmese sapphires and blue moonstone for Laurier, pearls, and rose coloured sapphires and spinels for Le Chene. Tiaras are a forte for the French brands that has made over 2000 of them since 1780, for aristocrats starting with Napolean I. It’s no surprise then that the brand’s La Nature collection too has its share of tiaras — starting with the Firmament Apollinien tiara set in white gold and featuring a 14.55 carat cushion-cut Ceylon Sapphire alongside brilliant cut diamonds. The tiara transforms into a simpler band of leaves made of diamonds dotted with sapphire beads — perhaps to be worn on lesser occasions.The Offrandes d’éte tiara, from the Les Blé collection is set with 3.10-carat pear shaped diamonds and resembles a wreath made of a sheaf of wheat — suitable for a modern day Ceres, no doubt.

Desert charm But hitting the ball out of the proverbial park was Cartier who’s Cactus de Cartier collection left everyone in awe. Considered to be symbols of protection and endurance, since the succulents thrive where little else does, they have not, until now, been considered muse for precious jewellery. And cartier seems to have spared nothing in bringing cacti to life in using emeralds, chrysoprase and carnelian to add that spot of colour for cactus flowers. From prickly plants to bejewellled must-haves, the geometric cuts and twists of gold, and softened contours make the collection stand out among a sea of predictably pretty shapes. Notable among the extremely wearable collection is the Cactus de Cartier bracelet, studded with green beads of chrysoprases tipped with tiny emelards to form the spines. Reddish carnelians become the flowers, dotted with brilliant cut diamonds. A version of this with gold replacing the chrysoprases and emeralds forming the flowers is far less eye catching. This year has seen some unusual inspiration find expression in precious jewels, and it goes with the theme that 2016 has seen — unusual, to say the least. So whether you’re looking for a stocking stuffer, or just for something to mark this memorable year, we’d suggest you skip the pretty flowers and other predictables — let the other side of nature make its mark.