12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS
Text by Annabel Davidson, Senior Editor of Vanity Fair jewelllery supplement.
There are several ways to curate a fantasy jewellery wish list. There's the almost academic approach, where pieces are chosen for sensible reasons, like how long they'll stay in fashion and whether they're worth the investment. Then there's the list built for impact, comprising famous jewels and record-breaking carat weights. But my favourite fantasy jewellery list is far more selfish. This is the list of pieces I covet to wear right now, every day, all the time. Twelve pieces that make me squeal with longing, fantasise about owning and dream of at night. I'm not even thinking about prices - hey, it's my fantasy - and I've paid no heed to questions of practicality. I'm just thinking about how much I want each item.
Take the Hemmerle bangle studded with two huge diamonds. It's sensually silky to touch and has the wonderfully incongruous combination of wood, copper and diamonds. I want to wear it over a skinny black polo neck and black capris. And I know there are actually 13 pendants here by Jessica McCormack, but her take on the traditional brass button turned out in gold and diamonds makes it too hard to choose just one. Fernando Jorge's Electric Shock ring looks like you've licked your finger and dipped it in candy-coloured sugar crystals, while Diane Kordas' "X" rings are so perfectly light and chic I would definitely need two.
I thought I loved Solange Azagury-Partridge's On Fire ring in diamonds when I first saw it, but then I spied the ruby version. Now that's true love. And while Carolina Bucci's Lei Zu necklace isn't brand new, the insane shimmer of the gold beads would never get old. Dina Kamal's pinky rings are so dinky and sweet, they're even more so in pink, and Faraone Mennella's double hoop earrings are the perfect combination of classic gold hoops with an extra diamond jolt.
I'd feel like a true grown-up lady in the Carnet "Calantha" earrings by Michelle Ong. The work of a true artist, they're exquisitely detailed right down to the tiny stamens bursting from each flower. Newcomer Noemi Klein's work is wonderfully gritty, and I love this little bespoke creation of hers. There's a pleasing puzzle element to Stephen Webster's Superstud stacking rings that makes them a joy to put on and fiddle with. And finally, since this is a fantasy wish list with absolutely no rules, a 1940s Van Cleef & Arpels ring (at Symbolic & Chase) I've been dreaming of ever since seeing the brand's exquisite retrospective in Paris recently. So there you have it. Something my true love could give to me for each of the 12 days of Christmas, should he have bottomless pockets and an insanely generous spirit. Now for my fantasy wardrobe…..
