By Maria Doulton in London
Boodles adds another chapter to its Wonderland story with a collection of fine jewels called 'Ocean of Dreams'. Like the previous Wonderland collections, fantasy, exotic gemstones and fine British craftsmanship are at the heart of these new suites of jewels, which takes us under the waves on a journey rich in imagination and intrigue. Travel alongside shy mermaids, venture into coral reefs or simply soak up the never-ending blue of the ocean as you discover Boodles' 'Ocean of Dreams'.
The first suite to catch my attention from across the room was Atlantic Dreams, with its remarkable Paraiba tourmalines, which dominate the delicate patterns of diamonds. The Paraibas, all cut from a single large stone, capture the beauty of the sun bouncing off the shallow waters on the shore on a perfect summer day.
Ocean Moon, with its milky blue drops of chalcedony, evokes an evening stroll on a Caribbean beach, the moon reflected in the water, an enigmatic shimmering presence. Tanzanite is at the heart of Underwater Dreams, the central stone caught in a swirl of spiralling seaweed, suspended from drop-like sprays of diamonds. Variants of the long pendant necklaces, rings and earrings include sunny yellow sapphires and warm pink tourmalines, encircled by rubellites.
Mermaid Tales shows a sense of humour as diamonds and platinum are worked together to create a scene in which a flash of a mermaid's tail is glimpsed before it disappears, leaving ripples on the surface of the water as it slips out of sight. Fin shapes are the main motifs of the Dolphin Serenade suite, interspersed with marquise-cut diamonds suggesting little fish swimming amongst the dolphins. A pink diamond starfish spinning in a whirlpool of diamonds sits at the centre of the Sea Star cuff.
Pretty pink South Sea and freshwater pearls are strung in rows between golden shells to make the Deep Sea Treasure necklace and earrings, which would look right at home draped on a mermaid. The same gold shells are evident in Seashore Drift, which has an Art Deco air thanks to the sleek, long, stylised shafts of green tourmaline. Pastel Reef, the most colourful set of jewels, recreates the tantalizing colours of these underwater colonies with aquamarines, tsavorites, pink and yellow sapphires, and green and yellow beryls.
Read about the Boodles Pas de Deux collection
