Best Fine Jewelry / 2012 Biennale des Antiquaires

Diamond collar necklace, 2012 Biennale des Antiquaires, Paris

Black and white diamond cuff, 2012 Biennale des Antiquaires, Paris

Turquoise and emerald bead necklace, 2012 Biennale des Antiquaires, Paris

Chanel pink stone watch, 2012 Biennale des Antiquaires, Paris

Opal and gem drop earrings, 2012 Biennale des Antiquaires, Paris

Chanel feather and diamond hair jewel, 2012 Biennale des Antiquaires, Paris

Sapphires laid out with tweezers, 2012 Biennale des Antiquaires, Paris

Emerald necklace held by hand, 2012 Biennale des Antiquaires, Paris

Chanel watch with diamond and pink sapphire dial, 2012 Biennale des Antiquaires, Paris

Chanel sapphire and diamond star ring, 2012 Biennale des Antiquaires, Paris

Striped hot-air balloon installation, 2012 Biennale des Antiquaires, Paris

Archival photo of visitors at a ship model, 2012 Biennale des Antiquaires, Paris

Illustrated hot-air balloon poster, 2012 Biennale des Antiquaires, Paris

Grand Palais glass dome and ironwork, 2012 Biennale des Antiquaires, Paris

Two guests at the opening, 2012 Biennale des Antiquaires, Paris

For her first collection as head of design at Boucheron, Claire Choisne plundered the archives of the century-old house, to find elements that have marked the label's history like snakes, crystal and transformable pieces. She came up with 10 small collections of pieces that come together to form the L'Artisan du Rêve collection, each of which echoes and archive piece. They include this snake necklace, with opal and quartz scales reproduced carefully through the meticulous work of Boucheron craftsmen.

Harry Winston pays homage to the eternal diamond for the 26th Biennale, a signature of the label. As a river of diamonds on a supple bracelet, or striking on a ring, the gem is at its most exceptional set on the Wave necklace as a 60.14 carat stone. The label will also show 146.71 carat pear-cut sapphires and is preparing to unveil a new fine jewelry collection at the event, inspired by nature.

Bulgari is presenting a new fine jewelry collection at September's Biennale des Antiquaires, concentrating on emeralds and sapphires. The square and cushion-cut gemstones go up to 180.98 carats on a yellow gold, diamond, sapphire and emerald necklace, and the Serpenti design features strongly, with snake-like scales in pink gold covered in brilliant-cut diamonds.

Chanel blue feather brooch, 2012 Biennale des Antiquaires, Paris

In June, Chaumet drew on 1920 headdresses for its Joséphine Aigrette line, and for the upcoming Biennale des Antiquaires, egret feathers feature on a diamond tiara from the 12 Vendôme collection, and again on the Aigrette, alongside diamonds, tourmalines and tanzanites, with a white Ethiopian cabochon opal, straight from the Roaring Twenties.

Invited to show at the Biennale for the first time in 2010, Piaget marks its second Biennale with the Couture Précieuse line. Inspired by the finesse of haute couture, diamonds are woven into lace-like structures along the edges of a white gold necklace. Amongst the 59 pieces of jewelry and 12 watches on show, many are inspired by the world of menswear - we spotted a pair of earrings, whose elliptical sapphires and rubies reminded us of military-style frogging.

After the minimalist charm of the My Dior collection with its canework-inspired cuff, Victoire de Castellane has gone back to her high-color roots for the Biennale, with the Dear Dior line inspired by exoticism and travels in the Far East. Garnets, spessartites and stones of many colors come together in pieces inspired by the hallowed salons of the house of Dior on Avenue Montaigne. Victoire de Castellane went back to the days when Monsieur Christian Dior would drape his girls in jewelry just before they walked out onto the catwalk, with this piece that is just as carefully worked on the back at the front, featuring a design using the lace motifs that featured in Christian Dior couture pieces.

Van Cleef & Arpels opens the doors of its Palais de la Chance for the Biennale, collecting different symbols, animals, and motifs to create pieces inspired by secular tradition around the world, in three different collections: La Bonne Etoile, La Nature Porte-Bonheur and Les Légendes de la Chance. Unicorns, ladybugs and four-leafed clover are represented with intensely colored stones, translating local customs and beliefs into a poetic world vision.

Hand sketching a jewel design, 2012 Biennale des Antiquaires, Paris

Eighty years have gone by since Gabrielle Chanel's 1930 fine jewelry collection, and for the Biennale des Antiquaires, the house revisits this collection featuring the symbols that were so dear to Mademoiselle Chanel. Here, a lion strides across a comet on a white and yellow gold diamond sautoir, or head piece.

The first and only Asian jewelry to be invited to the Biennale des Antiquaires, Wallace Chan draws on years spent working on Buddhist art, for pieces with strong symbolism. A former sculptor, turned cameo artist, the Hong Kong designer has created a collection of 50 pieces inspired by key animals from the Eastern philosophies, like a jadeite cicada brooch, or a scorpion necklace. The A Drop Into The Ocean necklace features diamonds, sapphires and a superb 379.21 carat aquamarine at its bright heart. (Tata Jazz Blog)

Joelle's Picks:

Wallace Chan Beyond Jewelry

?us.boucheron.com

CARTIER - The renowned French jeweler and watchmaker

Van Cleef & Arpels - High Jewelry, Place Vendôme since 1906