The chain’s seemingly rough design elements have crept into the high bead world in recent years.Those top jewelry masters obviously have a new understanding of it. For the chain to give infinite possibilities.
In recent years, designers always can ‘t resist chains and add this element full of power to their creativity.
Indeed, in this era of “Soft Power”, every jewelry designer has their own understanding of female power. Simple, straightforward, big chain atmosphere won their favor. They have used their own means to create various versions of the refreshing ” fresh chain”.
Creating chains with gemstones:
Bulgari specializes in full-color gemstones. So even chains must be expensive. Metal chains are too common. Only chains made of gemstones are worthy of high jewelry status.
The “Mediterranea Roman Esedra” necklace from this year’s Mediterranean High Jewelry collection is a perfect example.
It is a long necklace with oval links set with sparkling diamonds and connected by small links set with emeralds.
To break up the mechanical nature of the chain, it echoes the magnificent hexagonal pendant set with a 68.88-carat cabochon emerald.
The center of the chain is also set with nine small decorative clasps, also hexagonal and dotted with amethysts, diamonds and turquoise. In fact, this necklace style is one of Bulgari’s classic and iconic designs.
If you replace the emeralds in the pendant with ancient coins don’t you just remember? Yes, this is the same design popularized by Bulgari in the 1970s in the “Monete” collection.
At a time when flamboyant and bold styles were the order of the day, the historical motif of the coin and the chain made an ideal match. Even Grace Kelly, known for her elegance, couldn’t resist its charm.
Bvlgari Jewellery Chain
At the beginning it was just metal chains to match the coins’ metal and the rustic, old-fashioned style. Later on diamonds started to be set on the chain to add to its sparkle.
After that, Bulgari started splashing colors on this collection, and all kinds of brilliant stones – carnelian, turquoise, rubies – appeared on top of the chains.
Bulgari’s specialty is colored gemstones, and even the chains dazzle!
Van Cleef & Arpels Gemstone Chain
Van Cleef & Arpels is no slouch either, with the launch of the Rome set in this year’s Grand Tour High Jewelry collection.
The “Piazza Divina” and “Diana” long transformable necklaces both feature chains.
The designers felt that chains were the most appropriate way to express the “Eternal City’s architecture”.
The “Piazza Divina” necklace is inspired by St. Peter’s Square, adding small charms to each link.
Decorative elements set with sapphires, emeralds and diamonds add variety and rhythm to the simple chain.
Transformable necklace
The “Diana” transformable necklace is inspired by the unique columns and domes of the Temple of Diana.
Pearls and emerald beads form the chain links, which are then embellished with diamond- and sapphire-set links. It can be described as a combination of beads and chains, and a perfect blend of classical and modern, feminine and masculine.
Van Cleef & Arpels has always had a knack for metamorphic jewelry, especially this long necklace, which can be worn in a variety of ways. It is the chain that makes it more functional. It can easily be disassembled into bracelets, short necklaces, brooches and other small pieces of jewelry.
Gucci chain elements
Gucci is one of the major jewelry brands that loves chains this year. The entire “Allegoria” fine jewelry collection features chain elements throughout.
There’s a reason why Gucci chose to celebrate the beauty of the seasons in jewelry for this season’s theme.
The main stones were chosen from a variety of large carats covering the rainbow spectrum: 161 carats of cushion-cut pink tourmalines, 226 carats of leaf-green tourmalines, 104.4 carats of sapphires and 10.4 carats of blue sapphires.
A 104.4-carat sapphire. And of course, the 78-carat heart-shaped yellow sapphire, the 92-carat opal ……
To show off such amazingly large stones, many of the necklace designs in this collection opted for a pendant style.
The only element that could hold down such large brilliant colors and create balance visually was the chain.
Gucci used many brightly colored stones to depict the seasons’ splendor.
And naturally, the chain was not a straight metal chain, but had to match the overall splendor of the bright colors. So the chain was entirely set with diamonds and gemstones.
Instead of simple pavé settings, each link is skillfully set with baguette-cut diamonds and gemstones according to the chain length.
There is no metal visible at all, and at first glance one would think the chain is made of precious stones.
For designers, stones and diamonds were no longer enough, so neon enamels had to be used as well. The colors were chosen to clash.
Chain design elements
Blue enamel with yellow sapphires, Paraiba tourmalines and chrysoberyls against red spinels, and even a full spectrum of rainbow colors.
This isn’t the first time Gucci uses chains in high-end jewels. They’ve noticed this powerful design element since 2022.
However, this year’s chain design is more delicate and three-dimensional, with more variations in the links.
Interlocking geometric patterns reveal the beauty of miniature architecture. Stones and diamonds in a variety of cut shapes are set on top to complete the effect of the high beads.
It’s all about contrasts:
When it comes to atmospheric jewelry, Louis Vuitton’s high jewels are absolutely unmissable representative works of creative director “Francesca Amfisatroff” this season. To take you beyond time and space to explore the mysteries of the earth.
The rich texture of her jewelry is an ode to the earth’s evolution. The stunning “Rupture” necklace creates a strong contrast with a variety of materials.
Brightly colored gemstones, dreamy opals and smooth, highly reflective metal chains. The different textures overlap and form a wonderful chemistry with each other.
And the matching bracelet miniaturizes the necklace pairing, leaving you to marvel, “This is layering at its finest, isn’t it?”
Yes, this is the pinnacle of layering, where each material stands on its own. However, blended together, it’s an ideal combination of rigidity, flexibility, and movement.
Chaumet’s Paris Garden High Jewelry collection this year also includes a chain design, a tulip necklace from the “Flora” chapter.
Instead of creating texture contrasts like Louis Vuitton, the necklace is styled as a modernist minimalist chain with naturalistic tulips.
The necklace’s asymmetrical design is visually balanced. The whole piece is both modern and classical, elegant and feminine, but also powerful.
Craftsmanship:
Cartier is one of the jewelry brands that is extremely good at using geometric elements.
From its history in the Art Deco era, Cartier has imprinted the aesthetic concepts of dots, lines and surfaces into its DNA.
Cartier has also gained a lot of experience in craftsmanship and design in order to express the beauty of simplicity.
Every chance it gets, it flaunts it on the battlefield of high jewels.
Cartier chains are also distinctive, pursuing a minimalist sense of space that captivates the imagination.
In the “Sixième Sens par Cartier” High Jewelry collection, the first thing that catches your eye on the “Bérénice” necklace may be the 16.43-carat Colombian emerald.
But then your eyes will be drawn to the delicately crafted wavy chain. Set with diamonds in different curvatures of the folded lines that hug the skin, with a sinuous charm of another kind.
The “Coruscant” necklace
The “Coruscant” necklace from the same collection features diamonds in six different cuts.
Kite, octagonal, emerald, triangle, baguette and round diamonds form a chain of sparkle, like a tightly woven path of light with diamonds.
In this year’s “Le Voyage Recommencé” high-bead collection, the “Claustra” necklace alternates diamonds and onyx.
This creates a strong three-dimensionality of light and shadow, combined with a hollowed-out design that creates an optical illusion. It feels like all the diamond links are overlapping. This is actually a double diamond chain necklace that can be detached and worn as two separate necklaces.
Graff, who only loves big diamonds, is also extraordinarily luxurious in its use of chains, which are really pure diamond chains! The chain appears to be polished with large diamonds.Which is Graff’s pride in the setting process in the showmanship.
Perhaps every time you look at one of Graff’s highly bejeweled pieces, you’re drawn to the impressive size of the main stone.
But if you take a closer look at the chain necklace part of the pendant, you’ll see the brand’s understated mastery of craftsmanship. There are no visible settings or prongs for any of the diamonds that make up the chain. These diamonds appear suspended from each other.
Design director Anne-Eva Geffroy has said that all the pieces must be soft and fluid to ensure comfort and allow the diamonds to sparkle in motion.
The versatility of the regular operating chain is taken care of:
Chain design is used in high jewellery by many brands. They have fully explored the versatility of the chain, allowing it to take on many faces in their high-bead creations.
For example, Bomberlando’s signature classic collection “Catene” is the Italian word for “chain”. Therefore, chain is part of their brand DNA, and its use in high jewelry can only be considered a basic operation!
Ode to Milan
This year’s “Ode to Milan” high jewelry collection by Bermalando also added the element of chain, which it is adept at.
The “Giardini Verticali” necklace features large diamond pavé-set rose gold links. Emphasizing the three-dimensionality of the chain, which echoes the three emerald-cut large carat gemstones. The “Urban Bloom” set weaves urban romance with a mesh chain structure.
Cool and warm-toned stones are set on white and rose gold links. The soft and delicate effect reminds you of the Edwardian era. But the metal chain structure reminds you of where you are, with a paradoxical dislocation of time and space.
This same beauty is evident in the “Castello” necklace. The necklace is set with diamonds and tourmalines in mottled fragments that resemble ancient texts, and is connected by a bold diamond cord. Underneath, a contemporary metal chain necklace hangs, creating an aesthetic dialog between the ancient and the modern.
De Beers is also a master of playing with chains, and this season’s Metamorphosis high jewelry collection is a “metamorphosis”. This season’s “Metamorphosis” fine jewelry collection is called “Metamorphosis”, highlighting chain flexibility.
Chain necklaces with different ways of wearing
The winter Metamorphosis necklace consists of four chain necklaces with different link designs, with three ways of wearing. This allows you to feel the chain’s high functionality.
The summer chapter of the “Lariat” necklace features a stringed gold chain design to add more ways to wear the jewelry. The necklace is set with two pear-shaped diamond pendants and accented with two yellow diamonds.
The central clasp slides up and down, allowing the chain to be varied in length. This is so you can adjust the length of the necklace to suit your outfit of the day.
The one that broke the mold – Bausch & Lomb:
Bausch & Lomb has always been a creative player in the high jewellery world. And this year’s “More is More” high jewellery collection is full of fun and wonder.
One of the coolest pieces is the “Just An Illusion” necklace, which looks like a cartoon design from a comic book.
A huge titanium chain necklace is covered with blue, white and black “HyCeram” (a hybrid ceramic compound).
The orange links are paved with citrus garnets and round diamonds, thinly lined with black lacquer and contrasted with crystals.
It looks flat, and the exaggerated size and bold chain design give it a heavy visual impression.
But the clever design adds dimension, and it’s very lightweight material-wise. It may not be to everyone’s taste, but you have to admit it’s a work of art!
