carte blanche collection 2024Or Bleu

Claire Choisne dedicates her new Carte Blanche collection to water - a vital and precious resource. She was inspired by the waters of Iceland - strong, powerful raw. To emulate the color, texture, rhythm, reflection and even transparency of water, the Maison has once again pushed the limits of creativity. Boucheron has created 26 High Jewelry creations that pay homage to water and whose beauty is encapsulated for all eternity. 

cascade 

When Claire Choisne stood before this waterfall, she saw a necklace coursing down the body. 

A 148 cm creation in white gold and diamonds, which is the longest ever made by the Boucheron workshops. "Cascade" offers even more surprises by transforming into a shorter necklace, from which a pair of earrings can be detached. To stay true to the inspiration, the Boucheron workshops have crafted an extremely delicate piece. A real challenge of precision and patience with these unusual dimensions. 1816 diamonds of different sizes were set on the Cascade. The meticulous mesh work gives the piece its extreme suppleness and adds to its striking realism.

Necklace set with pavé diamonds, in white gold. Necklace made in the tradition of Boucheron multi-wear - 3,000 hours of work

A drop falls and shatters the water's fragile balance. It was this very moment that inspired the "Ondes" jewelry set. To capture this organic movement, the Boucheron studio first simulated it on the computer using 3D software, which then determined the volumes of a necklace and two rings. Transparent ceramic? Sapphire glass? What material should be chosen to achieve this realism? Claire Choisne chose sculpted and polished rock crystal. These pieces are characterized by both their finesse and the delicacy of their undulating movement. There's no place for metal in this necklace, which is designed as a second skin. A real challenge for the craftsmen who, in addition to the sculptural work, were also instructed to follow the curves of the bust. And because transparency never compromises, 4542 round diamonds in this creation have an invisible setting beneath the rock crystal. At the center of each wave, a diamond is set in a closed setting.

 

63°57'25.5"N 17°26'33.4"W

Necklace set with rock crystal and 4542 pavé diamonds, in white gold - 5050 hours of work
Rings set with rock crystal and pavé diamonds, in white gold - 610 hours of work  

Far from being crystal-clear, Iceland's dark waters reveal a hostile nature. Claire Choisne has used its intense color to design two pieces, a bracelet and a ring fittingly named “Eau d'Encre”.
The Maison has chosen obsidian, a volcanic stone notable for the beauty of its deep black color. The bracelet is composed of two perfectly identical obsidian blocks. The material was sculpted with the help of a 3D printer to simulate waves and reproduce the movement of water as closely as possible. When it came to the ring set with a 2.01 carat D VVS1 pear-shaped diamond, it was the very choice of obsidian that guided its design. To contrast with the blackness of this rock, a snow setting has been used on both pieces. A subtle nod to the foamy waves on black sand beaches.

 

64°02'22.9"N 16°10'53.3"W

Bracelet set with obsidian and pavé diamonds, in titanium and white gold - 355 hours of work 

The foam of the waves on the black sand. This stark opposition inspired Claire Choisne to create a series of pieces that reproduce the colors, contrasts and material textures of the shore. With "Sable Noir", the Maison has succeeded in capturing this black sand in three creations.
This is not the first time Boucheron has introduced sand into a High Jewelry collection. In 2015, sand from the Thar Desert was encapsulated in a necklace. This year, black sand is agglomerated using a 3D printing technique that binds the grains together using a polymer applied in very thin layers, until the desired shape is obtained. This technique, traditionally used in the automotive and aeronautics industries, produces a highly resistant material that reveals the iridescent texture of the sand. On the necklace, the clasp is discreetly placed behind the two diamond pieces. The earrings are made using the same 3D printing technique, in the shape of drops. 
As the centerpiece of this triptych, the cuff has no metal edges, giving the impression that it was sculpted from black sand. An organic snow setting adds extraordinary brilliance to this creation. 

 

64°02'41.1"N 16°10'21.8"W

Black sand and pavé diamond necklace in white gold - 620 hours of work  

Ice blocks shimmer on a black sand beach, reflecting the sun's rays like diamonds. "Diamond Beach" is the place that inspired this necklace and pair of earrings, reproducing the play of light and transparency of these fleeting sculptures.
Sandblasting the rock crystal gives it the same frosty effect as icebergs washed up on the sand. On these pieces, Boucheron craftsmen have created a treasure trove of trompe-l'œil effects. Instead of the usual white gold claws that encircle the diamonds, the crystal has been shaped to accommodate the stones directly within it. Likewise, it's impossible to distinguish with the naked eye the intricate mesh that binds the elements together, so much so that the whole piece seems to levitate on the neck. And some of the drops even contain a precious secret: glittering pavé diamonds underneath the rock crystal, which multiply the sparkle with a magnifying glass effect.

 

64°03'02.8"N 16°09'25.1"W  

Necklace set with rock crystal and pavé diamonds, in white gold - 2,000 hours of work

The sea rages. Both a brooch and a piece of hair jewelry, this "Wave" pays tribute to the power of water. It also echoes a 1910 tiara from the Boucheron archives, which was inspired by Hokusai's The Great Wave of Kanagawa. 
The fruit of traditional High Jewelry expertise, this piece captures all the organic poetry of the original design. Each detail is shaped by hand using lost-wax casting, which involves sculpting the desired volume in wax. A mold is then made to obtain the negative wax impression, into which the gold is poured to follow the shape of the wave. Finally, 851 round diamonds are set, for a total of 20 carats.

 

63°50'08.8"N 22°14'38.0"W

Earrings made in the tradition of Boucheron multi-wear - 650 hours of work

Water rushing down rocky slopes. The "Flots" brooch was inspired by this landscape. It also pays tribute to another piece from the Boucheron archives, a comb dating back to 1901.
As if suspended from a thread, the diamonds imitate waterfalls, thanks to independent moving nets that undulate when they are worn. To ensure that the diamonds realistically mimic the movement of water, the gem-setters used chip settings, making the metal around the stones disappear. This setting is rarely used today, but it is sometimes found on antique jewelry such as the 1901 archive piece. Finally, alternating round diamonds of different sizes adds to the realism of the piece.

 

64°12'27.8"N 19°41'11.8"W

Pavé diamond tie necklace, in white gold - 500 hours of work

To capture this transitional state of water, Claire Choisne has created “Givre”, a new type of jewelry set that reproduces the movement of stalactites on the body. 
A headpiece, an earring, shoulder jewelry and a ring follow one another in a movement dictated by gravity. Here again, the metal is discreet, giving way to precious elements such as pearls, mother-of-pearl and diamonds. No fewer than 691 pearls were required to create these pieces. This was a real challenge for the Stones department, which set out to find a batch of perfectly homogeneous colors and varied dimensions, in order to remain faithful to the Studio's design. This ring also has movement, with a plate that rotates thanks to a ball system, allowing the elements to always follow the correct orientation, like ice melting.

 

64°25'21.8"N 15°24'49.4"W

Akoya pearl headpiece, pavé diamonds and mother-of-pearl, in white gold 
Akoya pearl earring, pavé diamonds and mother-of-pearl, in white gold 
Akoya pearl shoulder jewelry, pavé diamonds and mother-of-pearl, in white gold
Akoya pearl ring, pavé diamonds and mother-of-pearl, in white gold 

2,610 hours of work

The impetuous force of Icelandic waters leaves its mark on the body. True to life, the two “Eau Vive” shoulder brooches seem to take everything in their stride. 
Every detail of these perfectly symmetrical pieces is the result of a fusion of cutting-edge technology and High Jewelry expertise. Created using 3D software, the two brooches have been sculpted from a single rectangular block of aluminum to match the actual movement of the waves. This material, chosen for its lightness (8 times lighter than gold), gives the set unexpected comfort. Immersing these waves in a palladium bath intensified their brilliance even further, while the diamonds have been meticulously set on this wave, like a ray of sunshine. A system of powerful magnets enables the pins to be attached with great freedom, while still remaining discreet.

 

65°15'34.2"N 21°45'48.7"W

Pavé diamond shoulder brooches, in palladium-finish aluminum - 980 hours of work  

behind the scenes

 

For "Or Bleu", it all began in Iceland. Discover how the beauty of these raw landscapes inspired Claire Choisne's Carte Blanche collection. These creations were echoed by two other artists: Jan Erik Waider and Molécule.

boucheron true stories 

 

"Water is precious. The Maison gave the floor to Claire Choisne, Jan Erik Waider, Molécule as well as Boucheron artisans in a series of podcasts."

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