In the beginning was the snake, in the shape of bracelet as a gift to Frederic Boucheron‘s wife in 1858, the year he opened his own boutique in Paris at the Galerie de Valois. Since then, many other animals have become part of the amazing menagerie of the French company, the last are those of Animaux de Collection, the bestiary created for fine jewelry and presented in in Paris during the haute couture week. The jewels representing mythological creatures, exotic or rare, they have a name to give a specific identity to each piece, where the chiseling and polishing define metal light or bold shapes . Hans the hedgehog, for example, has spikes in a rose or white gold crafting widely used by Boucheron and called the pointe de diamond motif: a myriad of low pyramids with rounded delicate edges. Pegasus, the winged horse of Greek mythology has a mane, gently blowing in a celestial breeze on a precious ring. Setting and stones, white diamonds and blacks characterize Cypris, one of the many names of Venus, traveling on a swan that is true love inspired by Tchaikovsky’s ballet. And, yet, the Hera peacocks, parakeets Nuri, the swallows Hirunda, polar bears, owls, even an Indian elephant parade princely decorated and tortoise with a tiger eye’s shell. Each piece is a masterpiece.