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 One of the great names in his field of contemporary design,
his sculptures of insects, flowers and fish sculptures in
colored titanium and colorful gems drew collectors, artistic
directors at top jewelry houses, up-and-coming designers and
artisans seeking inspiration for their own work.
“When I carve, and when I work on a gemstone, I am very tender,”
Chan told Reuters at the Sept. 11-21 exhibition in Paris's vast
Grand Palais.
“When I see a gem, if I feel for it, I try to communicate it
through light and colors,” he said.
Works on display included “On Dragon Fly Wings”, made of
oval-shaped jadeite, pink sapphires, colored diamonds and
garnets in a carved titanium setting.
“This is where jewelry meets art at the highest level,” said
Alexander Davis, who owns a boutique in Mayfair, London,
Chan and fellow A-list designer Giampiero Bodino showcased their
work alongside some of the finest jewels from the world’s top
brands and designers as well as vintage works from the likes of
Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels and Bulgari.
The leading Parisian houses produced striking pieces that
reflected their past and defined them as brands: Cartier’s
panther, Van Cleef & Arpels’ gem-encrusted fairy clips -
inspired this time by the fairy tale, Peau d’Âne, and Bulgari’s
Serpenti collection, with snakes a house emblem since the 1940s.
Dior presented jewels inspired by its own couture heritage.
Mingling with the super-rich was Paris-based Jothi-Seroj
Ebroussard, of Atelier Ebroussard, a young artisan who has
worked on pieces for some of the leading Parisian maisons.
He came to to gather ideas, admiring the combinations of
precious materials and the transformable applications of the
pieces, and to network with prospective clients.
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Among the billionaire crowd, Laurence Graff, the “king of diamonds”,
and an art lover, wove between the booths.
His firm showed off extraordinarily rare gemstones including the
Royal Star of Paris - a mesmeric brooch featuring the Graff
Sunflower, a 107.46 carat yellow cushion-cut diamond - and the Graff
Perfection, a 100.00 carat “D flawless” pear-shape drop.
The world has seen very few diamonds that exceed 100 carats, so it
is unprecedented that two stones of such quality and carat weight
have been brought together in one jewel.
Vintage jewelry also was a big draw for collectors.
Siegelson presented outstanding Art Deco pieces, including an
aquamarine, diamond and enamel bracelet by Jean Fouquet, for Maison
Georges Fouquet, Paris, dated 1926, and a Tutti Frutti bracelet by
Cartier, circa 1928.
Art Deco influences permeated the contemporary designs at the show.
Among them, the tassels seen on some Piaget, Chanel and Van Cleef &
Arpels jewelry.
Rome-based jeweler Bulgari showed off pieces from its heritage
collection, including actress Elizabeth Taylor's platinum and
emerald necklace - a wedding present from her husband Richard Taylor
in 1964.
(Editing by Michael Roddy and Louise Ireland)
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