Only a fragrance as wealthy, unrivalled and mysterious because the century-old Chanel No 5 can encourage such a monumental high jewellery collection.
Created by perfumer Ernest Beaux and Gabrielle Chanel in 1921, the first “fragrance for ladies with the scent of a girl” – that includes a posh mix of aldehydes and florals layered over heat, sensuous base notes of vetiver, amber and vanilla – brought on a sensation. Featuring a mixture of the singular modernity of the fragrance, purity of a minimalist bottle and the thriller of its identify, Chanel No 5 was revolutionary.
Polishing the construction of Collection No 5’s key piece, the spellbinding 55.55 necklace
Then in 1932, Mademoiselle Chanel broke the codes of French high jewellery with Bijoux de Diamants, her first and solely collection in platinum and diamonds that launched new methods of carrying jewellery. To commemorate the one hundredth anniversary of the famed fragrance, Patrice Leguéreau, director of Chanel Fine Jewellery Creation Studio, melded the 2 realms to realise the Collection No 5, the first high jewellery collection dedicated to a fragrance.
At the zenith of this 123-piece collection is the stupendous 55.55 white gold and diamond necklace. Embodying the spirit of the fragrance, an distinctive 55.55-carat custom-cut diamond crafted in its honour graces the centre of this distinctive creation that showcases the silhouette of the No 5 flacon.
55.55 necklace in white gold and diamonds, that includes a 55.55-carat emerald-cut DFL Type IIa diamond.
In addition to the 146 spherical and baguette diamonds set on the necklace is its distinctive clasp. Shaped just like the numeral 5, it’s an ode to the fragrance’s origins as it’s believed that Mademoiselle Chanel chosen the fifth pattern introduced by Beaux and determined to identify the scent after the quantity. Adds Leguéreau: “We began with a tough diamond that we had reduce, not to make the most important stone doable, however to acquire an ideal octagonal diamond weighing 55.55 carats.” The home has chosen to maintain the outstanding necklace in its Patrimoine, to make sure that the tribute piece will perpetually bear witness to this milestone within the historical past of the maison’s high jewellery achievements.
Chanel’s largest high jewellery collection to date, Collection No 5 is a mirrored image of the scent’s many sides: daring creativity, highly effective timelessness, noble supplies and an accentuated femininity. The maison’s Creation Studio presents a distinction between the flacon’s unmistakable graphic design and the sensuality of the scent by transposing its 5 key figuring out parts to the architectural jewels: the bottle, stopper, quantity, flowers and sillage.
The bottle
No 5 Signature Bottle yellow gold brooch with yellow sapphires and diamonds
The flacon’s distinctive geometric silhouette is seen by way of the strains of white and yellow diamonds and yellow sapphires cascading over necklaces, brooches and drop earrings. Bottles function streams of pear-shaped diamonds and pink morganites that seemingly circulate onto the pores and skin like droplets of the divine fragrance.
The stopper
Crystal Stopper white gold ring with a 1.02-carat round-cut diamond, rock crystal and diamonds
The emerald reduce and rectangular form recall the Place Vendôme, exalted by the fantastic thing about gems. Meticulously crafted from rock crystal or set with diamonds, onyx, pearls and yellow sapphires, the dear octagon is at the guts of the graphic but subtle items. Rings adorned with rock crystal reveal beds of diamonds by way of a skilful play on transparency. Rendered much more female with a fluid ribbon of diamonds, the stopper symbolises the beginning of an imaginary world of the No 5 fragrance.
The quantity
No 5 Drop yellow gold necklace with a 2.65-carat pear-cut beryl and diamond
Graphic No 5 white gold earrings with diamonds
Powerful and sensuous, the define of the quantity “5” turns into one of many collection’s signatures. It sits playfully off- centre on a yellow gold and diamond choker with a golden beryl drop. The XL model of the Eternal No 5 necklace might be worn 5 methods, together with a choker and brooch (the “5” is removable). Comprising a elegant potpourri of spherical, pear, navette and oval-shaped diamonds, this spectacular design is topped off with a 10-carat emerald-cut diamond.
The flowers
Grasse Jasmine white and yellow gold necklace with a 1.55-carat pear-cut diamond and 1.04-carat round- reduce diamond
At the guts of the fragrance are jasmine, might rose and ylang-ylang, which blossom over vibrant jewellery units. Featuring quantity and depth, the flowers retain their delicacy with appearances that recall the form of the celebrities, moon and solar, echoing the symbols in Gabrielle Chanel’s 1932 platinum and diamond collection. Resembling a star, the vigorous jasmine nestles in a cloud of diamonds. As for the might rose, Chanel interprets it by way of a spherical, moon-like flower with its petals dipped in pink sapphires. Intricately crafted like a solar, the ylang-ylang dazzles at the centre of luminous necklaces with sprinklings of diamonds resembling dew drops.
The sillage
Blushing Sillage pink gold bracelet with a 4.39-carat cushion-cut spinel, diamonds, rubies, spinels, garnets and yellow sapphires
To translate the olfactory revolution that’s the No 5 fragrance, the maison imagines items with summary motifs that shimmer and caress the physique like a fragrance. A number of distinctive yellow, amber and pink gem stones are used to signify the colors of the scent. Flaunting pink harmonies, the ultra-feminine Blushing Sillage creations are set with diamonds, rubies, garnets, yellow sapphires in addition to pink and purple spinels to type a color gradation resembling the dear nectar of the No 5 fragrance.
(All pictures: Chanel)
This story first appeared within the May 2021 situation of Prestige Singapore.
