After celebrating earthly treasures (read about them here) and celestial beings (see here), the Brazilian luxury jewellery house H.Stern takes us on a journey to the bottom of the ocean with the new Iris collection. Inspired by the drawings of marine life recorded by the HMS Challenger expedition of 1873 - a groundbreaking mission that covered more than 68,000 nautical miles and revealed a wealth of previously unknown species of marine life - Iris captures the organic beauty of seashells and the mysterious forms of deep-sea creatures.
Named after the Greek goddess Iris, who moved in the depths of the oceans and travelled with the speed of the wind, the new collection has a similarly ethereal, abstract quality beyond its obvious nautical influences. One piece captures the colour, texture and lustre of a seashell, while the next follows the sinuous curves of a tentacle. The collection uses different golds, including 18ct yellow and rose gold, as well as the house's own mixture of white and yellow gold, known as Noble gold, to create warm contrasts. Discreet diamond accents add to the seductive mood.
In two of our favourite rings, H.Stern has chosen a nude topaz as the centrepiece so that the wearer can, like the crystalline waters of the ocean, see right through it. The virtually colourless gemstones refract the sparkle from the bejewelled tentacles beneath, which act as prongs to hold the stone in place. Other standout pieces include a pair of rose gold and Noble gold earrings that follow the irregular oval contours of a Tellin shell and are suspended from the ears by a string of white diamonds.
H.Stern's advertising campaign for Iris features a kohl-eyed Katie Holmes looking seductive by the sea. The shoot, which took place not by the ocean at all but in a studio in Brooklyn, was photographed by celebrity photographer Tom Munro and is not released in the UK until next month. Check back here on 1 March for a first glimpse of Holmes' British debut for H.Stern.
