Dior Granville is inspired by flowers and colors of a Normandy villa’s garden where Christian Dior spent his childhood. The house of Granville, now a museum, is the place chosen by the artistic director Victoire de Castellane to tell the 12 jewels unveiled during Paris couture week. Beryl, peridot, aquamarine, tanzanite, chrysoberyl, pink tourmaline, rubellite: in all pieces, all perfectly asymmetrical, there are the designer’s favourite stones, assembled in a way in which each every reflection and shade are clearly visible. Thus, the vivid hues are aligned to the most watery shades, in different cuts and setting styles. Te outcome? No one color dominates another in rare equilibrium in which all stand out. Not so easy to create such a rhythm with stones that seat beside to one another, and the marquise or princess cuts are next to pear-shaped, oval or round gems. Furthemore, the pairs of earrings that appear similar, to look carefully show details, although minimal, but different. In fact, if stone’s figure and size are equal the varieties change. For instance, on the right there is a tanzanite, while on the left a rubellite, or if there two same stones in one half is larger and in the other is stretched. In a single jewel you can have two different setting styles: a rub over and claw. Yet, in this anarchy of shapes and colors, each element has the same chance to shine. A very democratic idea, even if the price of fine jewelry, like its rainbow tones, is pleasantly jarring. M.B.
