What is high jewelry, and have you ever seen anyone wear any in real life?

[lulu_ma]

I think this is a great article and offers some clarity on the issue:

For High Jewelry, a Multifaceted Future? (Published 2019)

With a Place Vendôme shake-up, a slew of upstart new houses and the arrival of ear cuffs and stackable rings, the world of jewels that cost $50,000 and more is being upended.

www.nytimes.com

In particular, this quote confirms my suspicions that is a HJ is a marketing ploy…

“Exposure to the high jewelry market remains key because it gives brands credibility to sell ‘bread and butter’ products in the price range of $2,000 to $10,000, which is the jewelry market sweet spot,” said Luca Solca, a luxury analyst at Bernstein.

 

[yssie]

Interestingly, I also wouldn't consider VCA's Flowerlace collection to be "high jewellery", personally, but they do and of course their opinion trumps mine!

Flowerlace - Classic High Jewelry - Van Cleef & Arpels

By combining the transparency of lace with the graceful silhouette of flowers, the Flowerlace High Jewelry collection brings together two of Van Cleef & Arpels' key sources of inspiration: nature and couture.

www.vancleefarpels.com

 

[icy_jade]

Interestingly, I also wouldn't consider VCA's Flowerlace collection to be "high jewellery", personally, but they do and of course their opinion trumps mine!

Flowerlace - Classic High Jewelry - Van Cleef & Arpels

By combining the transparency of lace with the graceful silhouette of flowers, the Flowerlace High Jewelry collection brings together two of Van Cleef & Arpels' key sources of inspiration: nature and couture.

www.vancleefarpels.com

I wouldn’t either… personally I need a certain level of artistry, exclusivity and brand name to consider an item to be HJ. If the VCA items are not one of a kind or limited editions, then no not HJ no matter what they say.

 

[Eli22]

What a great discussion!

Found this article interesting: https://www.townandcountrymag.com/s...481599/high-jewelry-haute-joaillerie-history/

“… high jewelry, the highest form of jewelry art, in which the great maisons showcase the pinnacle of craftsmanship and artistry, and the patience that it takes to assemble collections of rare stones that sometimes take several years to uncover.”

“… once each piece is sold, it’s never repeated.”

 

[lulu_ma]

Another good article.

Why avant garde pieces are the new cutting edge of high jewellery

‘High jewellery clients want pieces they haven’t seen before,’ says designer Devyn Downing – but others ‘still just want a big flashy stone’

amp.scmp.com

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

I think this is a great article and offers some clarity on the issue:

For High Jewelry, a Multifaceted Future? (Published 2019)

With a Place Vendôme shake-up, a slew of upstart new houses and the arrival of ear cuffs and stackable rings, the world of jewels that cost $50,000 and more is being upended.

www.nytimes.com

In particular, this quote confirms my suspicions that is a HJ is a marketing ploy…

“Exposure to the high jewelry market remains key because it gives brands credibility to sell ‘bread and butter’ products in the price range of $2,000 to $10,000, which is the jewelry market sweet spot,” said Luca Solca, a luxury analyst at Bernstein.

Agh, it’s behind a paywall! I think this would be a really interesting article to read. Perhaps it is finally time for me to pay for NY Times

I think your suspicions are valid. It does seem a touch silly to me that if a jeweler meets all the other criteria of craftsmanship, materials, value etc that they are not considered HJ because of brand recognition. Even local or regional recognition is not good enough. Sure, some people can transcend into that space, but it seems to require a lot of time and marketing to do so. So the HJ designation is reserved for those who can afford to spend on the marketing because it creates a sense of exclusivity and drives demand.

That doesn’t mean though, IMO, that HJ-esque jewelry can’t be obtained elsewhere. As an example, the last time I was in at a local (not famous, more of a word of mouth guy, he doesn’t even have an Instagram page) jeweler’s store, he was showing me a suite of jewelry he had made as a one-off for a customer with a floral theme. It was almost all diamond pave, mystery set calibre cut small ruby and emerald, carved cabuchon emerald. flowers and leaves, and they actually looked like they were in motion, they were 3D, not 2D representations that are so common with marquise and pears. It was exquisite. Pricing was fairly… reasonable, I would say, on the other hand. I remember asking him to ballpark the price of the bracelet, and it came out to roughly $15-17k USD? If I extrapolate that to the suite, that would be in the range of $100k for the suite consisting of bracelet, long earrings, necklace and cocktail ring for sure. No large diamonds or coloured stones (save the carved emeralds) but still, gorgeous. I didn’t get into whether it was top quality coloured stones and melee, but to my eye, it looked rather high quality (the melee/small stones for example were icy white).

Now I am prepared to accept that my understanding is flawed and I haven’t seen really exceptional work in person and if I had seen any of this HJ it would blow the local guy out of the water… but to my understanding, that should be considered HJ for technical perfection, design, materials and execution. However, it isn’t, because he’s not well known and doesn’t intend to spend money on garnering recognition, his word of mouth sales keep him in brisk business without a penny spent on marketing. This is a fairly common stance taken by independent jewelers in India from what I’ve seen, by the way, my own family jeweler is much the same (his work is also gorgeous, but not to this standard, I’ll admit).

My understanding is that work of this level falls into the bespoke fine jewelry category, not HJ, which is less of an indictment of the work and more an acknowledgement of the repute of the designer. Which is fine.

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

Interestingly, I also wouldn't consider VCA's Flowerlace collection to be "high jewellery", personally, but they do and of course their opinion trumps mine!

Flowerlace - Classic High Jewelry - Van Cleef & Arpels

By combining the transparency of lace with the graceful silhouette of flowers, the Flowerlace High Jewelry collection brings together two of Van Cleef & Arpels' key sources of inspiration: nature and couture.

www.vancleefarpels.com

I agree, some of what VCA considers HJ I would not. Flowerlace is one, Liane is another: https://www.vancleefarpels.com/en/collections/high-jewelry/signature-collection/liane.html

I don’t know if the Liane is as easily available for purchase as Flowerlace, but it doesn’t look HJ to me. It’s pretty, and I’m sure technically difficult to produce, but it doesn’t have the opulence I associate with HJ.

 

[Karl_K]

Can true HJ be created today when the times that it was created is well past and will never be again?

 

[lulu_ma]

Can true HJ be created today when the times that it was created is well past and will never be again?

Don’t confuse us more with a philosophical question Karl

 

[icy_jade]

How are these not HJ? @Karl_K

 

[lulu_ma]

Sotheby’s Discussion

(45 mins long-I only fast forwarded)

 

[lulu_ma]

How are these not HJ? @Karl_K

“If it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it probably is a duck”

No seriously-these look like works of art to me…who made them?

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

“If it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it probably is a duck”

No seriously-these look like works of art to me…who made them?

This is Boucheron's Indian Maharaja inspired collection, that I was referring to upthread!

Some other image references from this collection:

The churiyan (plural of churi) which are very reminiscent of typical Indian bangles - diamond and pearl ones are common for those who can afford them. I actually see less young Indian women wearing them except for weddings etc. because they aren't considered as fashionable, but perhaps they'll make a comeback now that Boucheron has made them. They are pictured here on a MOP stand that Boucheron designed to hold them when not worn.



The earrings I loved so much (Padma - which means lotus in Hindi):

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

Sotheby’s Discussion

(45 mins long-I only fast forwarded)

Bookmarked to watch! Thank you

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

This is Boucheron's Indian Maharaja inspired collection, that I was referring to upthread!

Some other image references from this collection:

The churiyan (plural of churi) which are very reminiscent of typical Indian bangles - diamond and pearl ones are common for those who can afford them. I actually see less young Indian women wearing them except for weddings etc. because they aren't considered as fashionable, but perhaps they'll make a comeback now that Boucheron has made them. They are pictured here on a MOP stand that Boucheron designed to hold them when not worn.



The earrings I loved so much (Padma - which means lotus in Hindi):

@lulu_ma - I think you liked my post before i edited in the pictures so getting your attention so you can stare at these babies!

Padma earrings are not traditional. They are breathtaking however!

 

[Karl_K]

How are these not HJ? @Karl_K

I was going to say no, then you supplied the answer.
"inspired collection" the ones that inspired them could well be HJ but they themselves are not.
You could call them a modern interpretation.
Btw dont take anything I am saying to seriously about this, I care more about what speaks to me than name or even value. Its just a fun thought exercise.

 

[yssie]

I agree, some of what VCA considers HJ I would not. Flowerlace is one, Liane is another: https://www.vancleefarpels.com/en/collections/high-jewelry/signature-collection/liane.html

I don’t know if the Liane is as easily available for purchase as Flowerlace, but it doesn’t look HJ to me. It’s pretty, and I’m sure technically difficult to produce, but it doesn’t have the opulence I associate with HJ.

So I do consider Liane high jewellery - for me the line checks both the "imaginative" and "decadent" boxes! It's not my cup of tea though.

I don't care for melee unless used in aid of another design feature. We see a lot of jewellers who use pave for the sake of having pave, and even when workmanship is impeccable that neither inspires nor excites me. "Pave rinse cycle" sort of thing. These pieces, for example, I wouldn't consider high jewellery regardless of which house produced them because there's no imagination here. It's just a ton of stones joined symmetrically for the sake of having a ton of stones joined symmetrically, no higher purpose.



My tastes do run toward the fantastical in general though!


I think this is the most beautiful jewel in the world. Every time I see photos of it my stomach tightens a little. A genuinely physical reaction. It's from Mikimoto's Praise to Nature release and it's showcased in Ginza. For me... It captures yearning. It's simultaneously a celebration of today's vitality and haunting longing for yesterday's...

Which of course are exactly the emotional cues that one might expect from a collection with this title. This is the epitome of high jewellery, in my opinion - a design that succeeds in making a globally-diverse audience *feel* what the (established and globally-renown) designer intended.

I will go to Japan one day to see it in-person.

 

[Bojambles]

I think this is a great article and offers some clarity on the issue:

For High Jewelry, a Multifaceted Future? (Published 2019)

With a Place Vendôme shake-up, a slew of upstart new houses and the arrival of ear cuffs and stackable rings, the world of jewels that cost $50,000 and more is being upended.

www.nytimes.com

In particular, this quote confirms my suspicions that is a HJ is a marketing ploy…

“Exposure to the high jewelry market remains key because it gives brands credibility to sell ‘bread and butter’ products in the price range of $2,000 to $10,000, which is the jewelry market sweet spot,” said Luca Solca, a luxury analyst at Bernstein.

Yep, kind of how having your runway show being considered Haute Couture lets brands sell RTW at inflated prices

 

[Karl_K]

I think this is the most beautiful jewel in the world. Every time I see photos of it my stomach tightens a little. A genuinely physical reaction. It's from Mikimoto's Praise to Nature release and it's showcased in Ginza. For me... It captures yearning. It's simultaneously a celebration of today's vitality and haunting longing for yesterday's...

Which of course are exactly the emotional cues that one might expect from a collection with this title. This is the epitome of high jewellery, in my opinion - a design that succeeds in making a globally-diverse audience *feel* what the (established and globally-renown) designer intended.

I will go to Japan one day to see it in-person.

Those are awesome but like the butterfly and dragonfly jewellery I secretly love(ssssshhhhh) I would not put them in the same grouping as HJ.

 

[yssie]

Those are awesome but like the butterfly and dragonfly jewellery I secretly love(ssssshhhhh) I would not put them in the same grouping as HJ.

Miki calls it high jewellery. Obviously I agree with them If there was ever a thread that proves that everyone's different

 

[LilAlex]

I think if you have to refer to your collection as high jewelry, it probably is not. (I am sure there are counterexamples.) You know it when you see it. Unlike a lot of folks' responses, I think it can be agnostic to manufacturer or branding. On the flip-side, there are scads of commoditized and "ordinary" super-expensive big-name jewelry that is not high jewelry, imo. High jewelry should be one-offs with extraordinary gems and extraordinary design (whether simple or complex). High jewelry can not be bought "off the shelf" because you saw one and liked it. High jewelry is inherently unwearable except at a look-at-me function or context. If you can "get away with" wearing it anywhere, that's not high jewelry. For example, I don't care how big your e-ring or studs are, they are not high jewelry.

I do know what sub-forum I am on, but I really don't even think of colorless diamonds, per se, when I think of high jewelry -- I think of untreated colored stones (rubies, especially) enlivened with diamonds. There is a huge difference between bling and high jewelry.

No, I have never seen high jewelry in the wild.

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

So I do consider Liane high jewellery - for me the line checks both the "imaginative" and "decadent" boxes! It's not my cup of tea though.

I don't care for melee unless used in aid of another design feature. We see a lot of jewellers who use pave for the sake of having pave, and even when workmanship is impeccable that neither inspires nor excites me. "Pave rinse cycle" sort of thing. These pieces, for example, I wouldn't consider high jewellery regardless of which house produced them because there's no imagination here. It's just a ton of stones joined symmetrically for the sake of having a ton of stones joined symmetrically, no higher purpose.



My tastes do run toward the fantastical in general though!


I think this is the most beautiful jewel in the world. Every time I see photos of it my stomach tightens a little. A genuinely physical reaction. It's from Mikimoto's Praise to Nature release and it's showcased in Ginza. For me... It captures yearning. It's simultaneously a celebration of today's vitality and haunting longing for yesterday's...

Which of course are exactly the emotional cues that one might expect from a collection with this title. This is the epitome of high jewellery, in my opinion - a design that succeeds in making a globally-diverse audience *feel* what the (established and globally-renown) designer intended.

I will go to Japan one day to see it in-person.

I understand why you’ve drawn the line you’ve drawn, but I don’t necessarily agree with it… there’s a lot of pieces out there which are a collection of large high value stones put together in order to have a large collection of stones, as you put it, that are considered high jewelry (primarily because of the house that’s put it together, would be my guess).

I would actually like the high jewelry designation to be held solely for art pieces, but I think it’s muddied. This is Graff’s white diamond high jewelry page: https://www.graff.com/international-en/high-jewellery/white-diamond-jewels.html this isn’t fantastical or avant garde by any means (especially the rings, which are just huge top quality diamonds), but is still considered HJ.

The Mikimoto brooch you attached is very pretty of course, but I’m not sure it’s HJ, but at this point, I’m not sure if anything is HJ or not if you like butterflies and colour Anna Hu has some gorgeous pieces (that are maybe HJ?)

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

I think if you have to refer to your collection as high jewelry, it probably is not. (I am sure there are counterexamples.) You know it when you see it. Unlike a lot of folks' responses, I think it can be agnostic to manufacturer or branding. On the flip-side, there are scads of commoditized and "ordinary" super-expensive big-name jewelry that is not high jewelry, imo. High jewelry should be one-offs with extraordinary gems and extraordinary design (whether simple or complex). High jewelry can not be bought "off the shelf" because you saw one and liked it. High jewelry is inherently unwearable except at a look-at-me function or context. If you can "get away with" wearing it anywhere, that's not high jewelry. For example, I don't care how big your e-ring or studs are, they are not high jewelry.

I do know what sub-forum I am on, but I really don't even think of colorless diamonds, per se, when I think of high jewelry -- I think of untreated colored stones (rubies, especially) enlivened with diamonds. There is a huge difference between bling and high jewelry.

No, I have never seen high jewelry in the wild.

So would a necklace like the one I described and posted a Pinterest sample pic of be considered high jewelry by you? Definitely the kind of thing that can only be worn at the fanciest of events, black tie or higher. Probably something that needs to be commissioned because a bunch of stones would need to be collected. However, not on the scale of ginormous or anything - if the biggest pear drop was around 1.5-2ct and they did grade smaller to the edges, there would’ve been several stones in the 0.3-0.4ish ct range, on the sides. Whether the bride just popped into a jeweler, saw what they had and bought it, or commissioned it, I can’t say. Whether the jeweler would then make as similar a thing as possible for another client, I would say yes (I don’t know, but that’s how Indian jewelers generally work). My understanding is that you would not consider this HJ, in part because it may not be exclusive enough. Not trying to answer on your behalf though!

For me, I feel that some element of exclusivity is required, so even something like the VCA magic pave 16 motif necklace which would set you back 166k USD before taxes (https://www.vancleefarpels.com/us/e...--magic-alhambra-long-necklace-16-motifs.html) isn’t HJ because they make more than one of them and you can essentially buy it off the website. Neither is flowerlace. The most expensive necklace on their website right now is the Snowflake - https://www.vancleefarpels.com/us/e...wflake-collerette-transformable-necklace.html - at a cool $880k USD… but is this HJ? Since it’s available to buy? No idea if they make more than one of these.

Actually, I’m pretty sure other design houses do make multiples of their HJ. Wasn’t this a plot point in Bling Empire (lol) when one woman wore an LV HJ necklace to another’s party knowing that she had the same LV necklace? (Such first world problems lol)

To your last point, have you seen something online which is fully in colourless diamonds, that you would classify as HJ?

 

[LilAlex]

So would a necklace like the one I described and posted a Pinterest sample pic of be considered high jewelry by you?

I think so? It's certainly striking. I made a lot of declarative statements up above but it's just opinion; I don't actually know what I'm talking about . I was pleased to see the term "high jewelry" pop up a while back and I thought it was cool shorthand for the stuff I could never afford but actually coveted (like Graff and OH). And then suddenly it seemed like everyone was using "high jewelry" in their NYT and WSJ ads -- almost for a halo effect like "natural" or "fragrance-free." I don't want to buy any of that smelly ol' non-high jewelry, do I?

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

I think so? It's certainly striking. I made a lot of declarative statements up above but it's just opinion; I don't actually know what I'm talking about . I was pleased to see the term "high jewelry" pop up a while back and I thought it was cool shorthand for the stuff I could never afford but actually coveted (like Graff and OH). And then suddenly it seemed like everyone was using "high jewelry" in their NYT and WSJ ads -- almost for a halo effect like "natural" or "fragrance-free." I don't want to buy any of that smelly ol' non-high jewelry, do I?

see bold: neither do I! And two pages of discussion has sent me round and round I think it suffices to say that no one really knows.

I initially thought HJ was like a marketing term (like how signed pieces refers to pieces made and maker’s marked by well known designers. I mean, my local guy can sign his piece but no one really cares about that). Then I thought it’s a value thing. Then I thought it’s an exclusivity and opulence thing. Now, I have come to the conclusion it’s whatever the maker wants it to be

 

[MrsBlue]

see bold: neither do I! And two pages of discussion has sent me round and round I think it suffices to say that no one really knows.

I initially thought HJ was like a marketing term (like how signed pieces refers to pieces made and maker’s marked by well known designers. I mean, my local guy can sign his piece but no one really cares about that). Then I thought it’s a value thing. Then I thought it’s an exclusivity and opulence thing. Now, I have come to the conclusion it’s whatever the maker wants it to be

I agree with the marketing thing. All industries have a way of creating superlatives and calling themselves the best. But I would add that HJ vendors aren't just about the product; they are providing a luxury experience and you have to pay for it.

Having said that, I think you could probably wear western HJ to a Indian wedding and still look poor and lost

 

[lulu_ma]

Oh this is a good one @AllAboardTheBlingTrain-I hope you can read it!

Anna Shay and Christine Chiu Aren't the First Elites to Have a Jewelry Feud

The storied tradition of jewelry zings dates back to the 6th century, and some of history's most infamous aristocrats have been known to inflict them.

www.townandcountrymag.com

@MrsBlue you comment hit the nail on the head. In many of these HJ collections there is some element of cultural appropriation going on.

I saw some interesting commentary after the MET gala. Let me see if I can find it…

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

I agree with the marketing thing. All industries have a way of creating superlatives and calling themselves the best. But I would add that HJ vendors aren't just about the product; they are providing a luxury experience and you have to pay for it.

Having said that, I think you could probably wear western HJ to a Indian wedding and still look poor and lost

Very fair point!

Also, lol at your second point. Indians really don’t know the meaning of temperance, do we?

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

Oh this is a good one @AllAboardTheBlingTrain-I hope you can read it!

Anna Shay and Christine Chiu Aren't the First Elites to Have a Jewelry Feud

The storied tradition of jewelry zings dates back to the 6th century, and some of history's most infamous aristocrats have been known to inflict them.

www.townandcountrymag.com

@MrsBlue you comment hit the nail on the head. In many of these HJ collections there is some element of cultural appropriation going on.

I saw some interesting commentary after the MET gala. Let me see if I can find it…

This is a fab article! Thank you so much for linking it - very entertaining

 

[lulu_ma]

Well, I can’t find the pos

This is a fab article! Thank you so much for linking it - very entertaining

Ok, I can’t find the IG Reel. It is not necessarily about HJ. But, perhaps, about royal jewelry being passed off as HJ?

Move Over Kim! Twitter Is Pissed At Emma Chamberlain For Wearing Maharaja Of Patiala’s Choker To Met Gala

Emma Chamberlain wore the iconic choker from the Patiala Necklace that was once owned by r Bhupinder Singh of Patiala.

in.mashable.com