2 days ago
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- Harpers Bazaar Arabia
Under The Sea: Tiffany & Co.'s Creative Director Of High Jewellery Delves Into Its Latest Collection
With Sea of Wonder, Tiffany's Blue Book dives into the ocean's elemental beauty, led by the fantastical spirit of Jean Schlumberger
This year's Tiffany&Co. Blue Book – the umbrella name for the American Maison's high jewellery collections – has never felt more apt. Its latest opus titled Sea of Wonder presents an ensemble of whimsical jewels drawing its inspiration from the vast expanse of the big blue, diving deep into the ocean's majesty and mystery.
'The idea for Sea of Wonder was born from a desire to explore the beauty and boundless mystery of the ocean through high jewellery,' says Nathalie Verdeille, Tiffany's creative director of high jewellery. 'The ocean's duality – its tranquility and its power – offered a compelling starting point for an imaginative journey. Building on the success of the 2023 Out of the Blue collection, we saw an opportunity to further evolve our creative language and delve deeper into the poetic and sculptural qualities of marine life.'
Appointed in 2021 with a mission to elevate Tiffany&Co. high jewellery, Nathalie immersed herself in the maison's rich archives. She found enduring inspiration in the work of Jean Schlumberger – the visionary designer who joined Tiffany&Co. in 1956 whose nature-meetsfantasy creations continue to captivate collectors and remain a sacred touchstone in the house's heritage.
In the spirit of Jean Schlumberger's no-holdsbarred imagination – where flora and fauna collide and coalesce into fantastical new beings – Sea of Wonder brings to life a starfish with contours reminiscent of the iconography of stars, a diamond-studded sea turtle that transforms from pendant to brooch through a hidden mechanism, and a necklace rippling with diamonds and blue cuprian elbaite tourmalines, evoking the force and fluidity of crashing waves. The latter nods to Schlumberger's iconic Leaves necklace, reinterpreting its volume and movement through the lens of the ocean.
'Jean Schlumberger's influence is deeply felt in this collection, particularly in the way we embrace nature as a fantastical, imaginative force,' says Nathalie. 'Sea of Wonder builds on his spirit of artistic daring, using bold forms and a rich colour vocabulary. At the same time, we introduced forward-thinking techniques like dynamic movement, unconventional stone cuts, and intricate settings that push the boundaries of traditional high jewellery design.'
Elaborating on how the collection innovates technical artistry, Nathalie explains that settings create the illusion of motion, allowing pieces to catch the light and transform with every movement of the wearer. Layering and transparency are key with fine pavé offset by designs that create a sense of depth as if one were gazing into the world beneath the waves.
The collection's vivid palette mirrors the sea's ever-changing hues, from the inky blues of the abyss to the brilliant tones of sunlit reefs. Exceptional gemstones – Padparadscha sapphires, violet spinels, Paraíba tourmalines, green beryls, and opals were handselected to capture both the dreamlike qualities of underwater life.
It's a collection that brims with joie de vivre. But what, exactly, did Tiffany aim to evoke?
what, exactly, did Tiffany aim to evoke? 'A sense of awe, wonder, and discovery, we want the collection to transport viewers – to make them feel as if they're glimpsing the ocean's secret treasures brought to the surface,'explains Nathalie.
Indeed, perusing Sea of Wonder feels like being bedazzled by a once hidden treasure suddenly emerging from the depths of the sea. But beyond admiration, it stirs a longing to wear it – to feel the ocean's power against the skin, and to radiate its exuberance and enchanting beauty.
From Harper's Bazaar Arabia June 2025 Issue.
