Lydia Courteille likes strong women, legends and bright colors. After the explosion of red on red with rubies, rubellites, spinels and enamels in the The Red Empress collection, dedicated to Catherine of Russia, after turquoise, lapis lazuli and sapphires in all hues in jewelery inspired by Rainbow Warriors, here a new monochrome series that takes us into Ethiopia in the Queen’s reign of Saba. Her myth is reconstructed in 18 pieces, including a surprising tiara, with bold and intricate lines to symbolize the wealth and culture of the biblical and Ethiopian narrative. There is brown rhodium gold like the salt desert of Danakil, in north-eastern Ethiopia, which houses tourmalines, opals and tsavorites in different shades of green. There’s the ring homage to the tribes that inhabit the Omo valley with a face adorned with branches and flowers. Many sources of inspiration in this region: for example, the rock churches, including the one in the holy city of Lalibela built by an angel, whose face is on another ring. And, again, the Ethiopian cross on the bottom of a gem or a frame that rests on multiple fingers or barely visible over long pending. It could not miss the snake, the protagonist of the ancient symbolism in the diadem surrounding a large and bright peridot pear shaped. In short, the French designer, whose creativity is the exact opposite of minimalism, featured a collection that will appeal to those who does not like conventions although in some jewels like the tiara, fantastical is surprisingly delicate.
