Simply Abu Dhabi XXII

2 3 9 S I M P LY A B U DH A B I S ince establishing in London’s Hatton Gardens in 1962, Graff has built a name around the biggest, boldest diamonds, with founder Laurence acquiring some of the world’s most celebrated gemstones and creating from them some of the most dazzlingly ostentatious baubles. The $40m watch with detachable ring, entirely encrusted with diamonds, is one such example, containing a total of 152.96 carats of white diamonds. The Fascination drew gasps of approval at its debut for a blinding array of diamonds across its architectural form and flawless pear-cut diamond at the centre of the ring. That makes the delicate shapes of this season’s collection all the more surprising, and proving the dynamism and expertise of the jewellery house. Flowers form the cornerstone of the Graff collection this season, not the first time the Maison has looked to nature. Clouds, butterflies and lotus flowers have all been represented in previous pieces. The Carissa collection seeks inspiration from the floral offerings of nature that have so long acted as a muse for artists worldwide. Delicate filaments, petals, patterns, colours and silhouettes furnish creative minds with a rich hunting ground. “Every flower is a soul blossoming in nature,” wrote the French romantic poet Gerard De Nerval. Carissa – the Greek word for beloved – is the name of a delicate, exotic flower that thrives in warm, sunny climates, willowy petals unfurling to the sun. They pepper the award-winning gardens at the Delaire Graff estate – among the bronze sculptures – in South Africa’s Stellenbosch region and so, with a glance, came to inspire the latest haute joaillerie collection. The glamorous private estate at the foot of the Botmaskop Mountain in the winelands region stands about an hour from Cape Town and was opened to the public in 2009 to provide lavish private accommodation, a holistic wellness spa, gourmet restaurants and world-class art works. The interpretation sees pear shaped and marquise stones exquisitely shaped into floral tributes of rich rubies, vivid emeralds, deep sapphires and sparkling diamonds. A minimal setting, designed and crafted at Graff’s London workshop, intensifies the brilliance of each stone. Working by hand, the master mounters have individually set each element to bring subtle, three dimensional movement to the pieces from jewel to jewel. Necklaces, earrings and bracelets display the sculptural, five-pronged motif. In one show stopper the motif tumbles down to finish in a pear-shaped drop, encircling the neck with a floral array that freeze frames nature at her most spectacular.