DANCING LIGHT: BOUCHERON HOLOGRAPHIQUE

A craft as old as jewelry making has to take extra steps to keep innovating and bringing fresh proposals to the world of fashion. This is no easy feat, and few brands the world over can take pride in accomplishing it. One such brand is Boucheron, whose creative director, Claire Choisne, strives to capture the beauty of an ephemeral moment in time. Through the clever use of crystal, opal, and ceramic, the House harnesses light, reflection, and refraction to create Holographique. The collection is made up of 9 sets, each with its own unique narrative but all of them sharing a key characteristic: games of light and precious iridescence. 

OPALESCENCE

This set echoes the brilliance of the summer sun on the waving waters, utilizing the elegant motif of a betta fish. Transparent fins pair with powdered opal and the fish itself surrounds a central 71.69 carat oval white opal imported from Ethiopia in the central piece of this set, which can be worn as either a brooch, an earring or a necklace made from opal beads. This piece embodies the tradition of multiwear, a staple of House of Boucheron. A single ear pendant made in pink gold, set with opals and diamonds repeats the fish motif, made using the plique-à-jour technique. 

ONDES

Indicating the waving movement of light, this set consists of a pair of earrings and a necklace, all fashioned in opals and diamonds. The stones rest gently on the skin, capturing the radiance of light that ricochets across the surface of sensual waves. White gold gives way to diamonds which also lead to the 16.14 carat opals, an elegant show of light and beauty. 

ILLUSION

Three central opals from Ethiopia and Australia mesmerize through their sheer size and their varying colours: one pearly, one rose, and one blue and green shaded. Set on trompe-l’oeil frames, the opals multiply their apparent size, originating this set’s name. The frames feature a second skin of multicoloured stones that change their tone according to daylight. Sapphires, tourmalines, emeralds, garnets, diamonds and tsavorites accompany the outstanding opal stones. 

CHROMATIQUE

Fleurs Éternelles, precious stone flowers celebrating nature, are a theme dear to the Maison. This time around the peony and pansy petals are recreated in all their glory with their volumes and curves. Molded in white ceramic, the Chromatique set presented a considerably difficult crafting process, resulting in a dream-like fantasy of changing colours casted from the holographic coating covering the rings and brooch. 

FAISCEAUX

Different rays of light with a common origin but a distinct destination are the namesake of this set, which echoes the concept through the use of rock crystal and diamonds. A double effect of shine and transparency are achieved in this technically challenging process, as the rock-crystal covering is difficult to apply to the faceted faces of the diamond Jack. The brooch and ring present sharp edges that show an elegant, dynamic and modern game of lights. 

HALO

Appearing as a weightless soap bubble reflecting the light in every direction and colour, rock crystal covered in a layer of holographic coating is shaped into a ring and a double-sided cuff,  while an airy essence emanates from the architectural set of ring, bracelet and necklace. 

LASER

Celebrating the iconic Serpent Bohème collection, this set features pigmented ceramic. This set reverses the traditional jewelry process, where a stone is chosen as a central idea and the materials selected around it. On the contrary, the approach to this set centered on finding stones that would match the iconic holographic effect. Pear-cut aquamarines were the answer to the question, and they now adorn the necklace, earrings and ring that make up this set, complete with shining ceramic and diamonds. 

PRISME

A prism is an artifact that breaks and redirects light, and this set is specially designed to do that, with the bracelet made of elongated crystals and diamonds shining in every direction, while the ring and earrings use their stretched pear-cut design to direct the view and light along the notches and mimic a radiating effect. 

HOLOGRAPHIQUE

A true show of mastery over the materials, this final set, and the namesake of the whole collection, which ultimately means “to represent everything”, the necklace, ring and bracelet are a representation of the sunlight streaming through the windows of the Boucheron atelier. After close and careful inspection of this refracted light resulted in the graphic line carried through the whole set: fine crystal blades arranged with care, diamonds lining each blade to further enhance the brilliance of the pieces, and a central precious stone crowns each piece: 20.21 carat yellow sapphire for the necklace, 14.39 carat pink tourmaline for the bracelet and 4.61 carat blue tourmaline for the ring. 

Photos: courtesy.