From the simple black ribbon adorned with a heart worn by the young ingénue Priscilla Presley in Sophia Coppola’s latest film to the decadently stacked pearl version from Assael worn by Margot Robbie on the Barbie press tours, chokers are everywhere. They are nothing new, chokers have been around for centuries, originally worn by both men and women as symbols of power. More than any other type of necklace they communicate multitudes – submission, dominance, allure, rebellion – and lend themselves to every sartorial occasion.
Eighteen carat gold and 13 carats of diamonds bring old-world decadence to Lalaounis’s Byzantine diamond design. All of Lalaounis’s creations are inspired by ancient styles as well as the forgotten techniques, such as hand hammering and granulation, used to make them. Draped just above the collar bones, it isn’t a traditional choker but a more relaxed interpretation of this style.
There’s a similar relaxed elegance to this Serpenti Viper necklace from Bvlgari. Rose gold is a wonderful colour that warms the skin, while the delicate diamonds sparkle flirtatiously as the light catches them. The sinuous lines of the serpent’s body are the perfect foil for this style of necklace allowing the lines of the piece to follow those of the throat.
Pomellato’s Sabbia choker has a more modernist aesthetic. The structural rigidity of the rose-gold allows it to rest lightly on the contours of the base of the neck rather than drape around it. The use of brown diamonds alongside the traditional white brings an earthy richness to the design, which contrasts beautifully with its architectural form.
Trust Messika to inject some punk into proceedings. This design takes the brand’s signature Move charm – a bevelled-edged rectangle containing a moving diamond – and hangs five of them from a white-gold chain making this style look reminiscent of safety-pin necklaces popular during the late 70s. The carabiner clasp has a sliding system so you can wear it as high as you dare.
How do you make four strands of pure white iridescent Akoya pearls edgy? If you’re Tasaki, you give the front section yellow gold fangs. This choker mixes rebellion with romance to create a pearl necklace that definitely should not be matched with a twinset.
Another style that would probably look out of place with a twinset is this design from Diane Kordas. For anyone who grew up in the Nineties, this is the quintessential leather choker, given a luxury lift courtesy of a delicate second rose-gold chain adorned with tiny diamond set stars. It’s the epitome of elevated everyday elegance.
Probably not for everyday, but definitely elevated is this Couture Dior necklace. Dior’s Couture jewellery collections celebrate the bond between the jewellery and the couture sides of the Maison, where techniques such as pleating, draping and embroidery are reinterpreted into jewellery. Here the Maison’s designer of fine jewellery, Victoire de Castellane, has been inspired by a Dior lace pattern, which has been replicated in diamonds and white gold.
The beauty of this fabulous Flex’It necklace by Fope is the hidden clasp creating a seemingly unbroken circlet of rich yellow gold. These smooth, sensuous ropes of precious metal are Fope’s signature and for the Luna collection it has enlarged the links to create a bold new design with gender-neutral appeal.
