For her latest high jewellery collection for Boucheron Claire Choisne presents “Elsewhere”. Taking us to a world where anything is possible the Creative Director was inspired by nature in its raw state. From the deserts to the mountains, the oceans to the rainforests, the Parisian jewellery house has brought together contradicting elements to create these one-of-a-kind carte blanche creations.
BOUCHERON_ Carte Blanche, Ailleurs_Eléphant & Ourse Polaire rings
Claire turned to unexpected materials such as pebbles and burned wood, combining them with precious diamonds and gemstones, to create pieces that are truly out of this world.
BOUCHERON Carte Blanche, Ailleurs Papillon brooch
Focusing on five muses (Sand Woman, Leaf Woman, Earth Woman, Pebble Woman and Volcano Man) the design has offered a number of ways to interpret this collection and its beautiful pieces.
Highlights of the collection include the Galet Diamant (Diamond Pebble) necklace which features real pebbles that have been scooped out to be lightened and have almost become translucent. Adorned with gold tattoos, pear-shaped and brilliant-cut diamonds, these pebbles are pierced and linked one by one to each other.
BOUCHERON Carte Blanche, Ailleurs Galet Diamant necklace
The Rotin Diamant (Diamond Rattan) features a natural rattan fibre that was humidified before being dried on a brass frame before a golden rod was inserted in it to maintain its final shape. Diamonds are added to this hard material to create a juxtaposition of soft meets hard. And Art Deco style brooch is also crafted from rattan and 379 brilliant cut diamonds and gold.
BOUCHERON Carte Blanche, Ailleurs_Sand Woman full look
In the second chapter of the story where tropical colours come into place the Feuillage Diamant (Diamond Leaf) cuff bracelet is adorned with a 37.97 carat green tourmaline. It plays with the appearance of a plant weaving. Made of aluminium, its intense green colour comes from a cataphoresis treatment, which is highlighted by thin lines of diamonds giving it a look that is as imposing as this piece is light.
BOUCHERON Carte Blanche, Ailleurs Leaf Woman
This featherweight effect also applies to a Papillon (Butterfly) brooch made of real Lideopsis Vulgaris butterfly wings, which have been treated to be long-lasting before being scanned, to create the gold structure holding them – which reproduces their original curves.
BOUCHERON Carte Blanche, Ailleurs Bois Diamant brooch Still life
In the Earth chapter, the Bois Diamant (Diamond Wood) brooch is a magnetic shoulder brooch, created using flower petals. Each petal of this imaginary flower has been scanned before being recreated in Santos rosewood and then set on an openwork gold structure. The titanium pistils vibrate delicately which each movement brought to the brooch, emphasizing the illusion of realism, while the chromatic palette questions the idea of nature.
BOUCHERON Carte Blanche, Ailleurs Volcano Man full look
And for men, the Creative Director turned to wood as a material of choice. The Bois Brûlé Diamant (Diamond Burned Wood) necklace features three-thousand-year-old marsh oak which was charred according to the Japanese “Chou Sugi Ban” technique to give it extraordinary resilience. Its association with diamonds reveals a powerful and unexpected contrast, between materials one could initially think are contradictory
Meanwhile, The Octopus single earring, designed as a mixture between a tattoo and a sea creature, adorns the head with its white gold arabesques, highlighted by 178 mother of pearl pastilles and 443 brilliant-cut diamonds.
