Elite Traveler Summer 2021

INSPIRE 20TH ANNIVERSARY GUIDE TO RESPONSIBLE LUXURY

Buccellati Scorpion Brooch in 18k yellow and white gold set with diamonds and Biwa pearls, $19,500, 714 Madison Avenue, New York, +1 212 308 2900, buccellati.com

Jewelry Whether it is brand new or vintage, an iconic jewelry is one of the best investments you ca

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But what makes a piece, or a collection, iconic? Is it emblems inspired by famous locations, like Van Cleef & Arpels’ Alhambra collection? Or structured simplicity, like Cartier’s Love bangle? The mileage that comes with the foundations of big heritage jewelry houses means that turning out perpetually relevant and timeless designs doesn’t have to be about age, as shown by these designs created in the last 20 years. Much like in the rest of our lives, the pandemic has caused a ripple effect in the future of trade and trends in the industry, most specifically ‘living in the now.’ Not saving fine jewelry pieces for special occasions and wearing them every day instead (the Zoom effect, perhaps?) and the digital purchasing of high and fine jewelry are at the top of the list. But the trend I’m really banking on for 2021 and beyond? Sustainability and ethical practice. Watch this space.

BUCCELLATI BROOCHES The early aughts were a big time for Buccellati. In 2000, the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC hosted an exhibition named Buccellati: Art in Gold, Silver and Gems, which celebrated the work of Mario and Gianmaria Buccellati. A year later, the company’s first watch collection was presented at SIHH in Geneva and then in 2004 came the now-famous Animalier collection. Inspired by his great love of baroque pearls, Gianmaria Buccellati created 28 collector’s edition brooches centered around the pearls with emeralds, rubies and sapphires honing the details, with mother-of-pearl, tourmaline and topaz serving as texture in these exquisite creatures. From dragons with bright ruby tongues to snails with mysteriously gleaming eyes, it was “a menagerie born from unbridled imagination.”

by Orla Pentelow

Buccellati Snake Brooch in white and yellow gold with points of pink gold, pearls, white and yellow diamonds, and rubies, $180,000, 714 Madison Avenue, New York, +1 212 308 2900, buccellati.com

TIFFANY & CO.’S

TIFFANY T COLLECTION

Just when you thought Tiffany & Co. couldn’t produce more icons — the famous blue-hued jewelry brand is known for its Return to Tiffany™ key rings and elegant key collections — it drops the Tiffany T collection in 2014, “an icon for a new era” that “captures the creativity, happiness, love and strength that Tiffany stands for.” Created by Francesca Amfitheatrof, the Tiffany T collection was her first as a design director for Tiffany & Co. “I wanted to create a symbol for modern life and the relentless energy that flows through New York and drives art and culture around the world,” Amfitheatrof said at the time of the collection’s launch. This ‘symbol of modern life’ has proven to have enduring appeal among sartorial types. Inspired by the architectural lines of the letter T, the collection has a perennial allure with its simple, timeless design. The bracelets, rings and pendants have been created in 18K yellow gold, 18K rose gold and 18K white gold, and are meant to complement one another — stacking and layering encouraged. Since its launch, the collection has inspired the Tiffany T1 collection and T True collection, which features the signature T interlocked in rings and bracelets set in yellow gold, rose gold and platinum.

Tiffany & Co. Tiffany T True Hinged Bracelet in 18K gold, $16,000, tiffany.com

Tiffany & Co. Tiffany T1 Bangle in 18K yellow gold, $5,800, tiffany.com