All that glitters: Some of the most stunning high jewellery from Chanel, Hermes, Louis Vuitton and more

Every year, the world’s top jewellery maisons raise the bar and outdo themselves by delivering phenomenal high jewellery collections that marry tradition, innovation, and sheer opulence. This year is no exception. Chanel elevates hoodie drawstrings into luxurious gold sport cords, Boucheron captures the ethereal beauty of Iceland’s glaciers and sea foam in diamonds and gold, while Bulgari unveils the stupendous €40 million (US$41.89 million; S$56.45 million) Serpenti Aeterna necklace with 140 carats of flawless diamonds. These extraordinary pieces prove that when it comes to high jewellery, the stakes – and sparkle – continue to reach dazzling new heights every year.

CHAUMET EN SCENE

As its name suggests, Chaumet’s high jewellery collection En Scene (French for “On Stage”) is inspired by the artistry and elegance of the performing arts. Presented in three chapters of Music, Dance, and Magic, it comprises 39 astounding creations that showcase the maison’s mastery of craftsmanship and rich heritage of its historic Parisian address at 12 Place Vendome.

Among the standouts is the Harmony necklace from the first act Music that features a jaw-dropping 8.72-carat pear-shaped diamond. Artisans took 1,800 hours to complete the articulated masterpiece, partly because it required them to create 700 bezel settings and 2,800 claw settings to hold each diamond and blue sapphire.

Equally enchanting is the Trompe-l’oeil negligee necklace from the collection’s third chapter, Magic. Named after the French art technique meaning “fool the eye”, where objects are depicted with striking realism, this necklace flaunts a masterful setting of pearls and diamonds that’s designed to look like a single, large gem. As every pearl differs in shape and size, Chaumet gem-setters had to meticulously select and align each one alongside diamonds to achieve a flawless optical illusion.

LABIRINTI GUCCI

Comprising 140 one-of-a-kind masterpieces, Labirinti Gucci is a dazzling ode to nature’s beauty. Centred around three key themes – symmetry and ordered beauty, geometric splendour, and blooming nature – Labirinti showcases the Italian house’s ability to blend heritage with innovation.

While vibrant gemstones, including emeralds, tourmalines, tsavorites, and opals feature extensively here, new and unexpected design elements, such as the dragonfly motif and a new interpretation of Gucci’s iconic G emblem, add fresh dimensions to the collection. Notable pieces include a necklace with a 28.07-carat spinel accented by rubellite beads and tsavorites in a floral-inspired arrangement, and a manchette flaunting a 5.93-carat emerald, white and fancy-coloured diamonds, as well as the all-new G-motif in pave diamonds.

TREASURE ISLAND BY VAN CLEEF & ARPELS

Van Cleef & Arpels takes us on a voyage to Treasure Island, a high jewellery collection inspired by Robert Louis Stevenson’s iconic tale. Divided into three enchanting chapters of Adventure at Sea, Exploring the Island, and The Treasure Hunt, the whimsical and colourful line of over 125 creations pays homage to the romance of maritime exploration.

From intricate sailor’s knots to seashells, palm trees, and treasures that reference ancient civilisations, each piece captures the essence of discovery. Highlights include the Ecume Mysterieuse necklace depicting ocean currents with mystery-set blue sapphires, and the fun Palmier Mysterieux clip, featuring a palm tree with mystery-set emerald leaves, and three interchangeable motifs comprising a sun, diamond-set boat, and treasure chest of precious gems. At the heart of the collection are rare gems, such as a 47.93-carat emerald in the Palmeraie Merveilleuse necklace.

BVLGARI AETERNA

The Italian jeweller celebrates its 140-year legacy with the phenomenal Aeterna collection. Inspired by the eternal beauty of Rome, it boasts over 500 extraordinary creations encompassing high jewellery, timepieces, bejewelled fragrance flacons, and luxury bags.

The collection’s crowning masterpiece is the €40 million Serpenti Aeterna necklace. It flaunts seven pear-shaped D flawless diamonds, totalling 140 carats (one for each year of Bvlgari’s history), cut from a 200-carat rough diamond. The Aurea Chandra choker revisits the bold ’80s with its radiant gold and diamond spheres, while the Tubogas Flower of Time necklace combines the house’s iconic Tubogas design with a 31.07-carat floral-engraved Zambian emerald, rubellites and pave diamonds.

HERMES LES FORMES DE LA COULEUR

Hermes brings a striking fusion of colour and form to life with its Les Formes de la Couleur (French for “The Shapes of Colour”) high jewellery collection, crafted under the visionary direction of the house’s creative director Pierre Hardy. This kaleidoscopic collection celebrates the interplay of geometry, vibrant hues, and technical brilliance, while offering a fresh and utterly modern perspective on high jewellery.

The collection is divided into various chapters, such as Fresh Paint, which mimics painting with stones, using meticulous craftsmanship to create fluid, textured designs with precious and semi-precious stones. Supracolor translates light diffraction through rutilated quartz and dazzling diamonds, with hypnotic transitions from black to white and bursts of colour, while Color Vibes combines rounded, asymmetrical shapes with classically cut gems like emerald-cut emeralds and baguette-cut tanzanites for a bold, dynamic effect. Another highlight: A fully functional miniature Birkin bag from the Color Icons chapter that’s crafted in gold and embellished with almost 3,000 diamonds.

CARTIER NATURE SAUVAGE

The second chapter of Cartier's Nature Sauvage brings the vitality of the maison’s animal kingdom to life through bold designs and extraordinary craftsmanship. Each creation reimagines iconic creatures with a contemporary twist, merging naturalist inspiration with graphic artistry.

This high jewellery collection has four hero pieces. The Chryseis necklace captures the delicate grace of butterfly wings with black-and-white patterns contrasting against chalcedony beads and a 63.76-carat rubellite. The Vamana Necklace reimagines the elephant with geometric forms, emerald eyes, kite-shaped diamonds and intricate openwork, merging figurative and abstract styles. Meanwhile, the Panthere Chatoyante showcases Cartier's iconic panther, its emerald gaze complemented by rubellites, chrysoprases, and onyx, evoking the feline's coat, while the Sibaya necklace reinterprets crocodile scales as sugarloaf emeralds, with diamond motifs suggesting water’s shimmer.

BOUCHERON OR BLEU

Drawing from Iceland’s raw and dynamic waters, Boucheron’s Or Bleu celebrates the fluid elegance and transformative power of this vital element. This collection captures the awe-inspiring brilliance of waves, glaciers, and foam in 26 exquisite and utterly modern creations.

The Iceberg necklace uses sandblasted rock crystal to replicate frosted ice, with diamonds embedded invisibly for a levitating effect. Doubling as a hair jewel, the asymmetrical Vague earrings are inspired by a 1910 Chaumet tiara that drew from Hokusai’s The Great Wave and showcases hand-sculpted gold adorned with 851 diamonds.

For a dramatic flourish, the Eau Vive shoulder brooches are feats of engineering and artistry with sculpted aluminium waves embellished with diamonds. Taking 2,560 hours to complete is the Cristaux necklace, a glacial wonder of 24 aquamarines, diamonds, and hexagonal rock crystals, all anchored by a dazzling 5.06-carat diamond.

DIOR DIORAMA & DIORIGAMI

Dior’s second chapter of the delightful Diorama & Diorigami collection transforms nature into a wearable Eden replete with vibrant flora and fauna. Mischievous animals, like a doe hidden behind a grove or swans gliding on a pond, inhabit this magical landscape.

Inspired by Parisian couture, the collection pays homage to the meticulous pleating techniques beloved by Christian Dior, as seen in the Bar suit. Delicate flowers, resembling origami folds, adorn necklaces, rings, and earrings to form a luxuriant, geometric vegetation. The maison’s signature artistry unfolds in dazzling colour, with stones incorporated into vivid, light-catching designs. This nature-couture narrative reflects Monsieur Dior’s philosophy that “jewellery is only as good as its colour”.

CHOPARD CONTES DE FEES RED CARPET COLLECTION 2024

Chopard launched its highly anticipated Contes de Fees collection at the 77th Cannes Film Festival in 2024. Weaving the magic of fairy tales into high jewellery, the enchanting 77 one-of-a-kind creations depict mythical creatures and nature's wonders that are brought to life with extraordinary craftsmanship.

Encapsulating the collection’s ethereal charm are a stunning diamond tiara adorned with a fairy that can be detached to be worn as a brooch, a pair of butterfly earrings with two stunning pear-shaped aquamarines totalling over 27 carats, and a charming frog-themed ring boasting a 17.7-carat rubellite crown.

The maison’s jewellery-making expertise takes centre stage with a brooch featuring a titanium sprig of lily of the valley adorned with diamond-set bell-shaped flowers and yellow gold pistils. The choice of lightweight titanium not only allows for larger-sized creations, which would otherwise be impossible to achieve in gold, to be made but also be tinted in a myriad colours via the method of anodisation.

TIFFANY & CO. BLUE BOOK 2024: TIFFANY CELESTE

The American jeweller’s third and final phase of its Blue Book 2024: Tiffany Celeste high jewellery collection continues to celebrate designer Jean Schlumberger's fascination with the cosmos. Introducing four new chapters – Owl on a Rock, Phoenix, Unicorn, and Star Burst – the collection reinterprets Schlumberger’s iconic designs with celestial allure.

The gorgeous Owl on a Rock brooches, featuring the nocturnal bird perched on a “moon rock” like black opal, moonstone and star sapphire, are a modern take on the house’s iconic Bird on a Rock. The fiery Phoenix chapter symbolises rebirth with gemstones like rubellites and fire opals. Next, the Unicorn designs take inspiration from Schlumberger’s Crazy Twist designs, highlighting diamond-encrusted twists with rich purple and pink sapphires. A key piece of this chapter is an imaginative Unicorn brooch with a magical bicolour cushion-cut tourmaline of over 25 carats. Lastly, the Star Burst chapter is an ode to galaxies with high starburst activity. Its designs exhibit brilliant luminosity, such as a necklace flaunting six oval cabochon crystal opals of over 64 total carats and diamonds.

LOUIS VUITTON AWAKENED HANDS, AWAKENED MINDS

Louis Vuitton’s Awakened Hands, Awakened Minds collection pays tribute to 19th-century France's transformative era of craftsmanship and innovation. The maison’s largest high jewellery collection to date features 220 unique masterpieces across 13 themes. Each creation blends impeccable artistry and advanced techniques, reflecting the house’s pioneering spirit, while celebrating French savoir-faire as the foundation of modern luxury.

Highlights include the Seduction necklace, showcasing a 12.92-carat Zambian emerald framed by intricate knot and tassel-inspired designs. The Phenomenal necklace captures the interplay of textiles with a mosaic of emeralds, while the Elegance line dazzles with diamond tremblant art.

CHANEL HAUTE JOAILLERIE SPORT

Mademoiselle Gabrielle Chanel revolutionised fashion by championing body awareness and freedom of movement. Sporty style was so integral to her vision that she created a Sport atelier within her haute couture house from 1921, producing designs like the Chanel tennis dress.

The Chanel Haute Joaillerie Sport high jewellery collection pays homage to this legacy through 80 exceptional pieces. The clean, streamlined designs are a masterclass in chic utility. Chevron motifs evoke speed, while the maison’s emblems like the lion and star are given a sporty twist.

The collection’s divided into six thematic chapters, each celebrating sport with exceptional creativity while blending elegance, functionality, and technical mastery. The Graphic Line dazzles with tapered chevron motifs and five rare Kashmir sapphires totalling 42 carats, painstakingly sourced over years. These velvety blue gems, including a 17.18-carat centrepiece, feature in transformable rings and necklaces.

The Sweater chapter reimagines hoodie drawstrings as tubular gold sport cords, while Chanel Print introduces carbon and aluminium in lightweight cuffs. Quilted Icons transforms Chanel’s signature quilting into articulated, fabric-like designs. The Sporty 5 chapter celebrates the snap hook in Chanel’s signature number 5, and Gold Slider features adjustable buttons for effortless transformation.