Elite Traveler May-June 2016

DISCOVER

elite traveler MAY/JUNE 2016 42

Bulgari high jewelry necklace, price on request

Sinuous beauties

Favored by fascinating women from Cleopatra to Queen Victoria, the serpent remains an enduring symbol of eternal love, passion and desire . Sexy and sensual, coiling around wrists and slithering across collarbones, it is no surprise that jewelers continue to revisit the serpent. Bulgari’s first Serpenti collection was created in 1940 and has become inherently linked to the house’s identity. Most iconic are the coiled cuffs and necklaces. This year there is a new version of the Serpenti. The first piece is a stunning platinum, high jewelry necklace set with 15.37 carats of white diamonds and 35.42 carats of emeralds, with a diamond-encrusted snakehead with hypnotic, emerald eyes. After redesigning both the men’s and women’s ready-to-wear collections, Gucci creative director Alessandro Michele has turned his attention to fine jewelry. The Marché des Merveilles (market of wonders) collection includes flowers, bees and snakes. We love the made-to-order 18K white gold snake rings with green topaz and tourmalines. While not necessarily known for serpent jewelry, Jacob & Co and Graff Diamonds have beautiful pieces this year. First shown at Baselworld, Graff's Serpentine diamond secret watch conceals a dial under a 5.64-carat rose-cut diamond, contributing to the watch's staggering total of 100.92 carats of white diamonds. Pairing 13.5mmAustralian South Sea pearls with green tsavorites is unexpected, but a beautiful combination in Jacob & Co’s snake earrings. bulgari.com, graffdiamonds.com, gucci.com, jacobandco.com

Jacob & Co earrings, $16,600

Graff Diamonds watch, price on request

Gucci ring, $10,500

Words: Kristen Shirley