One-of-a-kind high jewellery is the highest expression of the art of the jeweller and houses such as Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Bulgari, Chanel, Piaget and Boucheron amongst others present their collections once a year, normally to coincide with the July haute couture shows.
Founded in the legendary Place Vendôme in 1906 by Alfred Van Cleef & Estelle Arpels, the couple's love story infuses each of the Maison's designs. Van Cleef & Arpels is as famous for its fine jewellery, including the intricate Perlée collection and groundbreaking Between the Finger rings, as it is for its "mystery setting" technique and annual collections of high jewellery. One of the most famous brands to grace the red carpet, Van Cleef & Arpels jewellery dazzles at all the major award ceremonies. At the 2015 Oscars, Margot Robbie wore an iconic design from the past: the Zip necklace. This classic piece of vintage jewellery is one of Van Cleef & Arpels best-known designs and was originally created for Wallis Simpson in the 1950s. However, Van Cleef & Arpels is not just famous for its delightful, playful jewellery. The brand's unique vision has resulted in some of the most enchanting timepieces in the world of haute horlogerie, including the Carpe Koï high jewellery watch, which shows off the Maison's staggering attention to the finest details. The Cadenas high jewellery watch, meanwhile, has gone down in history as one of the most iconic Van Cleef & Arpels ladies' watches of all time.
Sumptuous, brightly coloured jewellery and luxury watches are a signature of Bulgari, one of the most revered jewellery houses in the world. Bulgari is known for its architectural designs, iconic Serpenti jewellery and watches, and use of brilliantly coloured gemstones, favourites of which include emeralds and rubies. Bulgari has created some of the most valuable and exquisite jewellery ever auctioned. Whether they are worn in Cannes or at the Oscars, the red carpet is awash with colour whenever Bulgari jewellery is on show. Jessica Chastain famously wore Elizabeth Taylor's emerald brooch and ring, both by Bulgari, at the Cannes Film Festival, and Bulgari carries its bold and colourful approach through to its ladies' and men's watches. Bulgari approaches all of its creations, be it jewellery, watches or accessories, with rigorous care and precision, which ensures that, despite imitations, there is only one Bulgari.
A legendary name in fine jewellery and luxury watches, with boutiques throughout the world, Cartier has been handcrafting luxury goods since 1847. In London, Cartier has long been a destination Bond Street jeweller for those wishing to mark life's big occasions with one of the Maison's legendary designs, such as the Cartier Love ring or a Cartier eternity ring. The famous Cartier panther appears on many of Cartier's pendants, rings and watches, and the jeweller's creative flair continues to surprise and delight, with collections such as Paris Nouvelle Vague and Cactus de Cartier attracting a new generation of devotees. Over the years, Cartier has produced some of the most iconic watches for men - timepieces that are designed to take your breath away - with perpetual calendars, minute repeaters, flying tourbillons and automatic skeletonised movements. The esteemed Parisian Maison is symbolic of exquisite craftsmanship, elegance and sophistication in high jewellery. Distinguished jeweller to royalty and creator of the tiara that Queen Elizabeth II lent to Kate Middleton for her wedding day, Cartier more than lives up to its reputation as "the jeweller of kings and the king of jewellers".
Founded in 1854 with the introduction of ingeniously designed trunks for a new age of steamship travel, the Louis Vuitton of today continues to reflect the company's heritage. Louis Vuitton is renowned for being one of the greatest luxury brands of all time, and none more so than in its range of fine jewellery. One of the most recognisable Vuitton icons is the famous LV initials alternated with a star and flower motif. This enduring inspiration for Louis Vuitton jewellery designs is encapsulated perfectly in the Monogram Fusion fine jewellery collection and brought to life in a profusion of rare and unusual coloured gemstones in the Maison's annual high jewellery collections. Louis Vuitton has also been making waves in the world of luxury watches for more than a decade with original designs and complicated movements. The Escale Worldtime Minute Repeater, designed to indicate world time without using a single hand, is one of the most colourful - and most complicated - men's watches on the market. Like each piece of Louis Vuitton jewellery, every new Louis Vuitton watch is designed to mirror the prevailing mood at the Maison. For 2015, for example, Vuitton's ladies' watches echoed the colours and patterns that appeared in its designer Nicolas Ghesquière's ready-to-wear Summer collection.
