Simply Abu Dhabi Magazine XXIII

1 3 7 S I M P LY A B U DH A B I T he 2016 Baselworld exhibition drew a glittering array of new collections from the world’s best jewellers. So far, so normal. But Fabergé stood out from the crowd with its double whammy. The jewellery house famous for intricately enamelled eggs brought two new jewellery lines to the market, each drawing eager gazes from attendees. The Fabergé Imperial Collection is already a triumph of Russian splendour, inspired by the Romanov court and all its magnificence, wealth and jewels. It also pays homage to old Russian traditions, taking in crafts and folk art, and the seasons so clearly defined in the sprawling Northern country and lending their rhythm to the country’s holidays and traditions. Long, freezing winters see magnificent balls; summers a lazy, countryside calm. Pieces from the collection have been seen on some of the world’s most graceful necks including Mila Kunis and Lana Del Rey. Tassels, monograms and ribbons forged impossibly from metal and stones are used throughout to bring a sophisticated, old world luxury. Additions have been made to the collection this year, bringing diamond stud earrings, pendants and colourful rings to the limelight. Bejewelled rings in different colour variations – green emeralds, red rubies, and blue sapphires – are spectacular. A single stone in the given colour forms the centre piece, surrounded by a circle of diamonds, another elliptical circle of coloured stones and finished with another round of diamonds. They’re set on a jewelled band to complete the opulent look. The house calls itself an artist jeweller, “inspired by its storied past and the current moment to create eternally original pieces to be collected as future heirlooms”. It’s difficult to argue. Designers seem to paint with gemstones as they explore the art of colour, often hinging around the universally human themes of nature, rebirth and love. They represent originality, fine workmanship and artistry, and this time, those skills have been applied to a transcendent Mosaic Pendant: a multi-coloured, precious tribute to the Mosaic Imperial Easter Egg made in 1914. That was the showstopper this season. There are three variations, which call on Mozambican rubies, sapphires, tzavorites and diamonds for their radiant surfaces; one multi-hued, one ruby red and one sapphire blue, all invisibly and skilfully set. The pioneering 20th- century technique was created by Peter Carl Fabergé – this piece is a tribute to him – and uses single-faceted gemstones “perfectly calibrated in a ribbon- like narrow row”. It’s a technique that conceals the gold setting from the eye and creates a flawless mosaic finish; it’s back-breakingly detailed work and made all the more challenging by the curve of the egg. The ruby pendant alone features stones from the African nation of Mozambique totalling 43.82 carats. As you might expect from such intricate pieces, they’re all one-off versions and total masterpieces. The pendants hangs on a double chain studded with precious stones that add a twinkle and draw the eye downwards towards the real star of the show.