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Lydia Courteille in the desert

Published on March 13, 2017

The Sahara seen by Lydia Courteille: a collection in blue and yellow, the colors of the desert.
Topkapi, the Queen of Sheba, the Amazon. And now the Sahara collection or, rather, the Tassili n’Ajjer, a name which in Berber means Plateau (Tassili) Tuareg (Kel Ajjer). For geographical maps is a mountain area of the Algerian desert, on the border with Libya. For Lydia Courteille, however, is the name of his latest collection, always on strand of exoticism.

A trip to this remote area of the world has inspired the collection that incorporates the colors of the desert: the yellow and the deep blue of the sky, but also the traditional clothes of the Tuareg tribes. The collection was presented at Paris Fashion Week: the right time to show the jewelry made with blue Australian opals and topazes, diamonds and sapphires, contrasting with the 18-carat gold. Rings, also in triple version, a kind of harem for the fingers, a snake-shaped necklace (of the desert, of course), a bracelet that matches the design of the sand dunes: the Sahara collection has everything to make yourself look, to wear and also a bit to envy. Alessia Mongrando

Tre anelli uniti da una catena d'oro, collezione Sahara — Tre anelli uniti da una catena d’oro, collezione Sahara

L'immagine simbolo della collezione — L’immagine simbolo della collezione

The rooster sing for Lydia Courteille

Published on February 16, 2017

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L'anello dedicato al gallo di Lydia Courteille

A rooster is joined in the small circus created by the goldsmith virtuosity of Lydia Courteille.
Lydia Courteille is a French designer who can boast an endless supply of imagination. This unlimited virtue manifests itself in many forms and d is animated by very different inspirations. Two, however, seem to prevail: the romance of the exoticism, as in his Topkapi collection or the one dedicated to the Queen of Sheba, and the call of nature. In particular, at world of animals. And since a few years ago Lydia Courteille received a prize in Hong Kong, it is not surprising that he wanted to dedicate a piece of special beauty to the Asian country, which according to tradition sees in 2017 the year of the rooster. And here is the Fire rooster ring, a unique piece made with 18 carat gold, fancy sapphires, garnets, rubies and diamonds blacks. And not only that: the beak of the rooster stops a fire opal. The piece is highly extraordinary. But, as we said, it is not the only jewel dedicated to the animal world. In the past Lydia Courteille proposed other great examples of jewelry, such as ring with the toad kissed by red lips of rubies, or the dance of two seahorses studded with sapphires around an opal. Here are some examples of the goldsmith virtuosity of the great designer. Giulia Netrese

Spilla Cavallucci marini con zaffiri e opale

Anello Cigno, in oro, con diamanti neri e bianchi

La bella e la bestia, anelli di Lydia Courteille

Orecchini colibrì su un anello fiore di opale

Bibi van der Velden, from beetle wings to e-shop

Published on January 12, 2017

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Collections made with mammoth ivory and beetle wings, but also a shop online dedicated to the trendy designers: the news by Bibi van der Velden.

How about gold jewelry, adorned with ivory comes from the prehistoric mammoth tusks? And of earrings made with delicate beetle wings? Surprising is the definition that befits the new collections of Bibi van der Velden (we have already spoken here). The Dutch designer does not follow the traditional paths and creates really unusual jewelry, not only to the original form, but also for the elements used. How, exactly, the ivory of the ancestors of elephants or insect iridescent wings revered by the ancient Egyptians. Jewelry that cost around 2,000 to 6,000 Euros, and which also are made with gold and precious stones such as diamonds and sapphires. In short, it is not strange craft, but the real high-level jewelry, but chooses the path of a refined eccentricity. But even stranger, in a world full of envy and pride like that of jewelry, is the commercial initiative of Bibi van der Velden, who opened an online shopping, auverture.com, which houses the jewels of others trendy designer, as Delfina Delettrez, Noor Fares or Lydia Courteille. We can not say anything other than: chapeau. Giulia Netrese

Orecchino con ali di scarabeo, argento, oro rosa, zaffiri rosa, ametiste. Prezzo: 2555 euro

Anello della collezione Galaxy in oro rosa, opale, diamanti, zaffiri blu e verdi, tsavoriti, perla di Thaiti. Prezzo: 13.815 euro

Anello con leoni, con argento, oro, diamanti brown e bianchi

Anello in oro rosa, corallo, diamanti bianchi. Prezzo: 8475 euro

Anello in avorio di mammut. Prezzo: 3165 euro

Anello in oro giallo con avorio di mammut. Prezzo: 7255 euro

Orecchini in avorio di mammut, zaffiri blu, oro. Prezzo: 4550 euro

Orecchini con ali di scarabeo, oro giallo, diamanti brown. Prezzo: 6250 euro

Anello Panther, in oro rosa, argento e diamanti brown. Prezzo: 9230 euro

A Lydia Courteille’s book

Published on December 9, 2016

news

The story of Lydia Courteille through her jewelry in 239 pages of a book dedicated to the French designer.
Lydia Courteille fans now have a new opportunity to admire the jewels of the French designer. ACC Art Books, in fact, has published a new monograph devoted to the fanciful Parisian creator. The book is titled Lydia Courteille, Extraordinary Jewellery of Imagination and Dreams (239 pages, 59 € from Amazon). The book was written by Julia Weir de la Rochefoucauld, an expert on jewelry and capable of covering the entire history of Lydia Courteille, starting from childhood, love for novels, the passion for the stones that she saw the mineralogical museum Paris. And a good social skills: when she was child was in correspondence with 18 pen pals all over the world.
But the date that interests jewelry lovers is 1979, when the designer began his activities. Preceded by the work of antique jewelry, cameos repair or the transformation of broochs in rings. At that point he decided to get serious: he studied gemology and has joined at the collection of vintage jewelry those drawn by herself. It has been successful. The book contains the images of 20 collections linked by a single thread: the imagination. Federico Graglia

Anello Ark Angel con smeraldi e peridoto — Anello Ark Angel con tormaline verdi e peridoto

Diadema in oro rodiato e pietre della collezione Saba

Orecchini in oro rodiato, zaffiri, tsavorite e opali fuoco

Anello in oro rodiato, tra tsavorite, opali e tormalina verde

Il libero «Lydia Courteille, Extraordinary Jewellery of Imagination and Dreams»

Orecchini con conigli realizzati con rubellite, zaffiri rosa, diamanti bianchi e neri, oro rosa

Anello in oro rodiato, diamanti gialli, zaffiri, tsavoriti e onice

Topkapi in Paris

Published on October 3, 2016

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Topkapi seen from Paris with Lydia Courteille’s eyes.
It was to the most fascinating residence of kings. Indeed, more precisely, of sultans: Topkapi was for centuries the large area on which stood the sultan home in Istanbul, the harem, reserved rooms to the eunuchs, the building where were the ministers, the military garrison . And last, but not least, Topkapi was the treasures place of the Ottoman Empire’s boss. At this exotic atmosphere is inspired by the Parisian designer Lydia Courteille for a new collection called, precisely, Topkapi. The collection includes a series of elaborate jewelry, colorful, rich, imaginative, vibrant, and last but non least, oversized. A bracelet that is worn on the biceps, a necklace with many elements opalescent, a gaudy ring with colored stones that simulate feathers and eyes, a diadem with a central big opal earrings with stones and pearls: they sure are not jewels that can’t become you unnoticed. Although if you aren’t outfitted as a belly dancer. Alessia Mongrando

Lydia Courteille at the Queen of Sheba

Published on February 7, 2016

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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.

Regina di Saba, anello in oro rodiato marrone con tormalina verde al centro, diamanti brown e tsavoriti

Regina di Saba, anello in oro rodiato nero con zaffiro da 0,41 carati al centro, tormaline, peridoti e tsavoriti

Regina di Saba, tiara in oro rodiato nero con peridoto da 9,9 carati al centro, diamanti brown e zaffiri gialli

Regina di Saba, orecchini in oro rodiato nero con zaffiri gialli, tsavoriti e due tormaline verdi a goccia

Regina di Saba, anello in oro rodiato marrone con tormalina verde al centro, diamanti e tsavoriti

Regina di Saba, orecchini pendenti in oro rodiato nero con opali, zaffiri e tormaline a goccia, diamanti, peridoti e tsavoriti

Regina di Saba, anello in oro rodiato nero con tormalina verde a goccia al centro, tsavoriti e zaffiri gialli

Regina di Saba, orecchini pendenti in oro rodiato nero con tormaline e tsavoriti e tre file di diamanti brown staccabili

Regina di Saba, anello in oro rodiato nero con tsavoriti, zaffiri gialli e onice

Lydia Courtelle anello — Regina di Saba, anello in oro rodiato marrone con tsavorite al centro circondata da opali e tormaline

The precious tribes by Lydia Courteille

Published on November 28, 2015

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A limited collection for Lydia Courteille, celebrating symbols and prophecies of Native Americans. The eclectic Parisian designer, known for her whimsical and fantastic jewelry, something like a fairy tale, interprets in her own way, objects and materials of the tradition. For example, the stone par excellence of Indians, the turquoise, which is also a this year trend, is big, it has a cylindrical shape as totems and is used in the green hue. To the Warriors of the Rainbow, the protagonists of a legend of the Hopi tribe, announcing their coming to teach people around the world how to love and worship Mother Earth, is inspired ring with a flamboyant moonstone and multicolored sapphires. And more, feathers fashioned in silver and diamonds, symbolizing the creative force, asymmetric arrows iconography of the hunter, funny animals and eagles in sapphires pavé that transform the Indian folklore in refined design.