What a year it has been for haute joaillerie. Never have I seen such a proliferation of remarkable jewels, and 2012 offered an unprecedented chance to gaze fleetingly at the most refined and valuable creations. Like haute couture, each jewel is a one-off that starts with a creative process worthy of the finest stones and painstaking craftsmanship. The variety of designs and originality is clear to see as each piece I have chosen sings out in its own exquisite way.
The arrival of Louis Vuitton on Place Vendome with its fine jewellery atelier, De Beers' knock-out Imaginary Nature collection and Tiffany's 175th anniversary would have been enough delight for one year. But it was also the Biennale des Antiquaires, an event that encourages jewellers to pull out the stops. And they gave us a virtuoso performance. Add to this the giddy moment the Queen's diamond jewels exhibition opened and the ephimeral congregration of pink diamonds in London this autumn, organised by the Argyle Diamond mine, and you can see why 2012 was a sparkling year to remember.
