Sicily, the island in Italy with the largest number of active volcanoes, with a culture and traditions that are a mix of Latin, Arab and Norman heritage, a land with exuberant nature and an absolute sea. In short, a world apart that has fascinated Lydia Courteille, jewelry designer and tireless traveler. Her collections are often inspired by her exotic travels. But this time she discovered the unexpected a couple of hours by plane from Paris. The new collection is called Revoir Palerme, but it is not guided only by the images of the Sicilian city, because it is the entire territory that has suggested jewelry that is as rich, imaginative and eclectic as ever.
One of the colors that distinguishes Sicily is yellow. Like that of lemons: tourmalines of an electric yellow shade, yellow sapphires, jasper and green Paraiba are used for jewelry such as the pendant La Trinacria (a name attributed according to legend to a woman with three legs and synonymous with Sicily), or a large ring. The Orchard of Sicily necklace uses gold, jasper, emerald, three tourmalines, tanzanite, tsavorite, yellow, clear and orange sapphire, brown diamonds.
It is not only Palermo that fascinates the Parisian designer. Another jewel of Sicily is Taormina, famous for its Roman amphitheater and its gardens. A ring in the collection is inspired by the Sicilian town made with a 43.17-carat green Paraiba tourmaline of an intense shade, accompanied by a 4.74-carat emerald, tsavorite, yellow sapphire, an orange sapphire and a diamond.
The prickly pear, a cactus that offers succulent and sweet fruits, is a recurring plant in the Sicilian landscape. It is a plant native to Mexico, imported to Sicily by the Spanish in the 15th century. The Cactus Cuff is the result of experimentation with 3D technology, an extremely light and flexible jewel. The bracelet is accompanied by the Cactus earrings in 18k gold, two fire opals for 25.59 carats, green tourmaline, blue sapphire, tsavorite.
It is impossible to talk about Sicily without mentioning Etna, the active volcano that overlooks the city of Catania. A cocktail ring depicts a volcanic eruption of Etna. At the center is a fire opal, certainly the most suitable stone for the purpose, which recalls the boiling of incandescent lava. Finally, the collection includes jewels such as the Plique-à-Jour enamel earrings inspired by the brightly colored landscapes of the island and two rings that are a combination of blocks of enamel and precious stones in a geometric style, a new expression of Lydia Courteille’s creativity in jewelry.
