By Maria Doulton
De Beers was present in Paris during the all-important Haute Couture week, when the world's wealthiest women and, of course, the fashion and luxury press are in town to view the catwalk collections. This makes the first week in July an ideal opportunity to showcase highly valuable jewels to a discerning audience.
Taking over a very grand apartment in a magnificent building overlooking the Arc de Triomphe, De Beers set out the new Phenomena collection of diamond jewels. The look is classical but with a contemporary minimalism and cleanness of lines.
Inspired by nature and, more specifically, water, diamonds capture the force of cresting waves, the delicate patterns of frost formations and the majesty of glaciers. A meandering stream ribbons around the wrist, neck and fingers, while Reef pieces shimmer and tremble like fragile living coral viewed underwater.
I particularly liked the Glacier bracelet, with its seven icy flows of diamonds that reminded me of an aerial view of the Arctic. The Crest bracelet is another design that caught my eye, with its powerful curves about to crash into a cascade of diamonds.
These jewels are all made in Paris and, despite their high carat value, are easy to wear thanks to clever articulations that hug the skin and smooth settings - even for the most impressive diamonds.
