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The jewelry by Mousson

Published on February 23, 2023

The new creations by Mousson, great Russian Maison of high jewelery. With opalescence and gold that looks like fabric ♦

St. Petersburg, a city founded by Peter the Great, was for a long time the capital of Russia and the seat of the court of the tsars. It is probably no coincidence that it now also hosts one of the Russian jewelery and high jewelery Maison: Mousson, which now also has offices in Moscow and Bangkok. Founded in 2008 by a group of professionals who have been active in the goldsmith and jewelery sector for 20 years, Mousson has quickly become a well-known brand, although so far not well known outside the borders of Russia. And breaking through was not an easy feat in a market that has always been dominated by the great Italian and French jewelers. But, perhaps, it was inevitable that local creativity was channeled into a commercial enterprise capable of producing high quality jewelry.

Of course, the aesthetics of the collections are compatible with that, at times a little strong, of Russian taste. But looking at the pieces of jewelry proposed by Mousson we understand that it is a demanding production, with rings that make a great use of pavé diamonds, with large stones in the center of very intense colors. Strong stuff, in short, to warm the cold winds of the North. Each piece is unique and has its own style.

Alexander Sokolov, co founder di Mousson Atelier. Copyright-gioiellis.com

Anello in oro bianco, diamanti, ametista

Anello con smeraldo taglio baguette e diamanti

Mousson, anello con opale e smalto arcobaleno. Copyright-gioiellis

Alexey Pomelnikov, the art of the tsars

Published on January 4, 2022

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The surprising works of a master of Russian jewelry: Alexey Pomelnikov ♦ ︎
Russia, for jewelry lovers, is almost a mystery: few goldsmiths are able to make themselves known in the West. Yet Fabergé’s heirs are there and have not forgotten the art of creating high-level jewels, those that combine the ability to work with precious stones and metals with imagination that can suggest pleasant and unusual shapes. It is part of this elite of masters Alexei Leonidovich Pomelnikov, owner and designer of the Jewelry Company of Alexey Pomelnikov of St. Petersburg. His biography tells of many hours spent in front of the works exhibited at the Hermitage, but also in other museums that collect the works of Russian history.

With this inspiration, by Pomelnikov is reinterpreting the classical canons of ancient masterpieces of art. As it is easy to guess by admiring the works of the jeweler of St. Petersburg, his pieces are produced in a limited number and are the result of a careful study of a large number of jewelry masterpieces of the late nineteenth – early twentieth century. In fact, at the time of the tsars, Russia was one of the trendsetters of European fashion. The company of Alexey Pomelnikov exists more than 20 years: the founder had given himself the task of renewing the traditions of Russian jewelry. He succeeded.

Collana con pendente gatto in oro, diamanti, smalto

Orecchini tulipano in oro, smalto e diamanti

The adventurous story of the Tsar’s jewels sold by Sotheby’s

Published on November 13, 2021

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Tsar jewels still have charm. So at the Magnificent Jewels and Noble Jewels auction at Sotheby’s in Geneva, a sapphire and diamond brooch and matching clip earrings, smuggled out of Russia at the time of the 1917 revolution, sold for $ 850,000, against a maximum estimate of $ 500,000. They are jewels that belonged to the Romanoff family. To be precise, they belonged to the aunt of Emperor Nicholas II, the Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna (1854-1920), who entrusted her expatriation to her friend, the British antiquarian and aristocrat Albert Henry Stopford (1860-1939). of jewels in London.

Often referred to as the “Queen of St. Petersburg,” the Grand Duchess was by all accounts a glittering figure who fought to maintain her status during the revolution. Albert Stopford, who was fifty-five at the time and therefore ineligible for military service, was an integral part of the St. Petersburg social scene and was the noblewoman’s intimate. The history of jewelry is quite adventurous. Dressed in workman’s clothes, Stopford secretly went to collect the jewels from the Grand Duchess’s home, the Vladimir Palace, a 360-room building on the Neva, not yet plundered by rioters. Entered by a side door and escorted by Maria Pavlovna’s eldest son, Boris, and a trusted servant, Stopford disassembled the jewels, folded them into old newspapers to protect them, and set off on the train. In three nights he reached the spa town of Kislovodsk, in the Caucasus, where Maria Pavlovna had retired to her summer villa. He then left for London on September 26, 1917, carrying 244 Maria Pavlovna jewels in a Gladstone bag, including the sapphire brooch and earrings sold at Sotheby’s auction.

It was then another two years before the Grand Duchess crossed the Russian border (reluctantly), traveling to Venice, Switzerland and finally to Paris in July 1920. Her health as a Russian noblewoman was severely compromised, however, and only a few months after her arrival. in France he died. The jewels, therefore, were inherited from her daughter, Princess Elena of Greece and Denmark (1882-1957) and then to her descendants. A in 2009 they were bought at an auction, again at Sotheby’s, by another European princely family and now resold.

Spilla e orecchini con zaffiri e diamanti

The jewels of the tsars

Published on October 2, 2021

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It was found a rare catalog that contains 406 pictures of jewels and gems belonged to the czar of Russia.

For nearly a century, thery a mystery. But now on the jewelry that belonged to Tsar it opens a new chapter. It was indeed found one of the few surviving examples (about 20) of a vintage catalog Bolshevik, an inventory of 406 jewelery seized by the revolutionaries to the Russian royal family. The catalog dates back to 1925 and is now also available online, as other 200 other rare and historically significant books on gems and jewelry, on archive.org site. The photographs are of course in black and white, but the volume is interesting because it shows, in addition to the crown jewels are exhibited in Russian museums, including pieces have disappeared.

At this link you will find the official document.

According to Dona Dirlam, director of the Gia library, which has retrieved the rare book, in 1925-1926, the Bolshevik government has published this catalog with the idea that the Romanov jewels would never have been sold.

The jewels presented in catalog are all belonged to the czars, beginning with the reign of Peter the Great, in 1689, until the end, with the last Emperor Nicholas II, who was killed in 1917. Among the 406 treasures there are the Imperial set with the Scepter which 189 carat diamond, the imperial globe, with a sapphire of 200 carats, the Great Imperial crown, and the bridal wreath. Federico Graglia

Cartier’s imperial topazes

Published on March 24, 2020

Rings/alta gioielleria/Showroom/COLLANE

Presented together with Cartier’s Magnitude collection, the Mauna set remains a unique case in the high jewelery scene. These pieces of high jewelery, in fact, revolve around a special gem: the imperial topaz. It is a stone known by few, with a high reflective property, which has a particular history. It is called imperial, in fact, because its name is linked to Russia and, more precisely, to the time of the tsars. In the nineteenth century, in fact, this type of topaz was mined in the mines of the Ural mountains. And only the tsar’s family was allowed to wear this gems. Recently this stone has been re-evaluated and has become part of high jewelery collections, such as that of Cartier.

The French Maison has used two-tone imperial topaz (but in this case they come from Brazil), together with sapphires, diamonds and rutilated quartz, mounted on white gold. If the imperial topaz is reminiscent of the tsars, the style of these jewels is instead linked to the art deco period, with geometric virtuosity and an aspect that would have been liked by Jeanne Toussaint, the historical designer and artistic director of Cartier between 1933 and 1970.

Bracciale in oro bianco, topazio imperiale bicolore, diamanti

The jewels of the Tsarina at auction

Published on April 22, 2019

COLLANE/news

Smeraldo taglio a pera appartenuto alla duchessa Vladimir di Russia

There is also a necklace with a large emerald that belonged to the Tsarina Catherine the Great among the Magnificent Jewels at Christie’s auction ♦ ︎

Tsar jewels have always been a myth. And in Geneva, on May 15th, among the jewels on sale at Christie’s auction, the necklace that belonged to Catherine the Great of Russia stands out, with a pear-shaped emerald. It has belonged to the Russian imperial collection for over a century. The emerald originally weighed over 107 carats and had a rectangular cut.

Collana di diamanti e smeraldo appartenuto a Caterina la Grande di Russia

When Catherine of Russia died in 1796, her jewels were passed on to her children. And Tsar Alexander II gave the stone to the Duchess Mary of Mecklenburg-Schwerin when she married her son, Grand Duke Vladimir, in 1874. Cartier bought the stone from the Russian royal family in 1927 and in 1954 cut the pear-shaped emerald to increase its brightness. The emerald was then added to a diamond necklace purchased by the Payne Whitney family and, later, by John D. Rockefeller. The estimate is between 2.5 and 3.5 million dollars.

For fans of blue-blooded jewels, the auction also includes the wedding gift tiara of Federico Francesco IV, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin to his wife Princess Alexandra of Hanover and Cumberland. The tiara, made in 1904, consists of nine graduated pear-shaped aquamarines and rose-cut diamonds. The jewel is not signed, but is attributed to Fabergé.

Diadema con acquamarine appartenuto alla gran duchessa Alexandra di Macklenburg-Schwerin

That of the zarina is not the only great jewel that stands out in the catalog. There is, for example, a rare series of 110 natural pearls: this one is also 2.5-3.5 million. Furthermore, under the lens there is also an unmounted colored diamond of 118.05 carats which was exhibited in the auction rooms of Christie’s in London, on 9 April 2019. The diamond is estimated between 2.5 and 3, 5 million dollars. Another necklace, of emeralds and diamonds, with a less adventurous history is estimated at 1.5-2.5 million dollars.

Curious is the story of the Jonker Diamonds emerald-cut stone signed by Harry Winston. It is one of the diamonds made from a diamond, called Jonker, found on 17 January 1934, of an extraordinary weight of 726 carats. She was portrayed in a photo with the actress Shirley Temple as a child. The Jonker was the fourth largest quality diamond ever brought to light. The stone was cut into 13 pieces. The Jonker V, the diamond for sale, weighs 25.27 carats. Federico Graglia

L'originale Jonker tenuto in mano da Shirley Temple bambina — L’originale Jonker tenuto in mano da Shirley Temple bambina

Collana a frange con diamanti dell'Ottocento — Collana a frange con diamanti dell’Ottocento

The jewels of the tsars

Published on July 18, 2018

The jewels of the tsars: the reconstruction in a book of legends, history and myths of one of the largest collections ♦

Romanov’s jewels: a series of necklaces, diamonds, crowns that have not, perhaps, somithngs of equal. Relive in a book. Until its fall, in 1917, the Romanov dynasty possessed a collection of breathtaking jewels, collected over the centuries: necklaces, pendants, bracelets, brooches, tiaras, crowns. Even the wealthy American heiress Consuelo Vanderbilt, accustomed to the most unbridled luxury, was impressed when the aunt of the Tsar, Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna, showed her some pieces of her collection: “There are infinite parures of diamonds, emeralds, rubies and pearls , not to mention semi-precious stones, such as turquoises, tourmalines, and aquamarines,” she said.

Anello di perle appartenuto alla zarina Alessandra

In the United States, a new edition of a book was published that tells the story of these royal jewels. The book is titled The Jewels of the Romanovs, and was written by the Italian Stefano Papi (Thames & Hudson, 352 pages, $ 65 on Amazon). Stefano Papi is one of the greatest experts in the world of jewelry: he was Senior European Specialist for the jewelery department of both Sotheby’s and Christie’s. For fans, the book is as a mine of informations. The photos show, for example, the Empress Maria Feodorovna in a white satin dress with a red band, crown and four pearl chokers, a diamond necklace with more pearls than pendonocome giant tears; a diamond brooch and, on the wrist, a bracelet with three rounds of pearls. Despite his short stature, he has the pose and the aura of an empress.

But in a photograph within the book is also indicated by his intimate nickname: Minny. The Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna, on the other hand, was one of the last Romanovs to leave Russia in 1920 to die a few months later in Switzerland. The friends had managed to save his collection by handing it, piece by piece, to an English visitor who in turn had deposited the jewels at the Swedish embassy. Like so many royal refugees, the Grand Duchess has kept what he could, but much has been sold. Some of his jewels, wrapped in a pillowcase, were discovered decades later and sold for huge sums only recently, in 2009.

Among the treasures on display in the book of Popes there are commemorative objects or gifts for special occasions. Maria Feodorovna, for example, had given her sister a small portrait of herself, surrounded by pearls, in a heart-shaped frame of Fabergé red enamel. Tsar Nicholas II, on the other hand, for his coronation in 1896, had given his grandfather Vladimir his uncle, and to his grand-duke’s wife, a small box of orio and green enamel. Double portraits adorn a striped green and gold cigarette case created by Fabergé for the wedding of the great single daughter of the ducal couple, Elena, to Prince Nicholas of Greece and Denmark.

Many of the jewels, however, have been dispersed with the Russian revolution. The Bolshevik government in those dramatic years made money by selling what it could, including the wedding crown worn by generations of tsars. Furthermore, some Romanovs sold their jewels during their flight. For this reason some magnificent pieces were then worn by members of the royal dynasties of Romania and Yugoslavia, while a tiara is still used today by Queen Elizabeth II. The grandmother, Queen Mary, known for her avarice, managed to get hold of the best pieces of Romanov’s jewelry after the death of her mother, the empress widow.

I gioielli dei Romanov acquistati a prezzo di saldo dalla regina d'Inghilterra — I gioielli dei Romanov acquistati a prezzo di saldo dalla regina d’Inghilterra

La sfera che simboleggia il potere conferito da Dio

Un grosso smeraldo circondato da diamanti a fiore

Spilla con grossi rubini e diamanti fancy

Collana di perle appartenuta all'imperatrice Maria Feodorovna — Collana di perle appartenuta all’imperatrice Maria Feodorovna

Cornice a forma di cuore firmata Fabergé

L'aquila imperiale a due teste tempestata di diamanti, con sovrapposta una croce di Sant'Andrea — L’aquila imperiale a due teste tempestata di diamanti, con sovrapposta una croce di Sant’Andrea

Spilla a stella dell'imperatore di Russia — Spilla a stella dell’imperatore di Russia

Spilla a forma di rosa, argento e pavé di brillanti

Pendente con diamanti e un grosso smeraldo

Copricapo con visone e croce, oro e pietre

On auction a 51-carat Russian diamond

Published on August 3, 2017

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Il diamante Romanov a taglio rotondo, tradizionale, con 57 sfaccettature

A super Russian diamond (plus five more) dedicated to the tsars ♦ ︎
The Russian mining group Alrosa announced for November an auction for the sale of a rare collection of already cut diamonds, including a giant stone of 51.38 carats. It’s one of the biggest diamonds ever put on the market. It is a round, traditional, 57-facettes diamond with a diameter of 1 inch (2.5 inches) big about the size of a man’s eye. According to Alrosa, which is a State-controlled company, is probably the most expensive diamond produced in the history of Russian jewels. The diamond is one of the five pieces made of the 179-carat Romanov raw diamond, extracted in 2015 in one of the mines of the company in the Yakutia region, in the Far East of Russia. In intentions all diamonds should be sold together with no less than $ 10 million. The Romanov name is a dedication to Tsar Peter the Great, who built the city of St. Petersburg and the Romanov dynasty, which ruled Russia for 300 years. Federico Graglia

Il diamante è stato ricavato da una pietra grezza di 179 carati

Il diamante di Alrosa ha un diametro da 1 pollice (2,5 centimetri)

Damiani to the court of the tzars

Published on April 15, 2016

Showroom

Jewelry Damiani for the Tsars. The Italian Maison presented in Moscow two lines of jewelry in collaboration with the actress Nicoletta Romanoff. The name is not accidental: the actress, who already wore Damiani jewelry a couple of years ago, it is a descendant of the dynasty of monarchs who ruled Russia for nearly half a millennium. Incidentally, the tsars had a weakness for jewelry, as evidenced by their treasure, remained to witness this passion. The Damiani jewels would not disfigured in the coffer of Nicholas II: the first collection, Fiori d’arancio (orange blossom), is inspired by the marriage of the actress’s grandparents and designers, that were Prince Nicholas Romanoff and the Italian Countess, Sveva della Gherardesca. To stay in tune with the tradition, the collection includes a tiara, a typical jewel of Imperial Russia. To create the tiara it took six months to work, 500 grams of special pink gold, more than 4,500 diamonds and 83 Japanese white pearls. The second collection, Fiocco, remember the magnificent era of Peter the Great and of the courts of Elizabeth and Catherine the Great. Rings and necklaces are all made of white gold and diamonds. They would have been a successful in the court of the tsars. Lavinia Andorno

Nicoletta Romanoff con la tiara della collezione Fiori d'Arancio — Nicoletta Romanoff con la tiara della collezione Fiori d’Arancio

Nicoletta Romanoff indossa la collezione Fiocco

Anello in oro rosa e diamanti della collezione Fiocco

Diadema della collezione Fiori d'Arancio — Diadema della collezione Fiori d’Arancio

Anello in oro rosa, perle e diamanti della collezione Fiori d'arancio — Anello in oro rosa, perle e diamanti della collezione Fiori d’arancio

Passport / Segreti preziosi nel mondo

Published on June 21, 2013

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New York / Aumentano le vendite di gioielli in Usa. Negli Stati Uniti, nel mese di aprile, le vendite di gioielleria sono aumentate del 17,7 per cento rispetto allo scorso anno, a quota 2,4 miliardi dollari. E allo stesso, tempo l’indice dei prezzi per gioielli è sceso dell’1,2 per cento. Nei primi quattro mesi del 2013 le vendite nei negozio di gioielleria sono rimaste sostenute, con un aumento del 10,6 per cento a 9,568 miliardi dollari rispetto ai primi quattro mesi del 2012.

Il gioielliere più ricco d'America: Harry Winston — Il gioielliere più ricco d’America: Harry Winston

Istanbul / Annullato il summit dei diamanti. Le manifestazioni anti-Erdogan hanno avuto una ricaduta anche sul mondo dei rpeziosi: l’International Diamond Manufacturers Association (IDMA) ha infatti annullato la riunione che doveva svolgere a Istanbul. L’organizzazione ha sottolineato i problemi di sicurezza nella città turca.

Hong Kong / La fiera del gioiello si sdoppia. Nel 2014 l’Hong Kong International Jewellery Show (HKTDC) sarà separato in due differenti spazi: il motivo è l’aumento della domanda da parte di aziende e visitatori. Gli organizzatori della fiera hanno detto che è «necessario garantire lo spazio sufficiente per un ulteriore sviluppo». A partire dal marzo 2014, la fiera sarà suddivisa in due eventi in due sedi: il HKTDC Hong Kong International Jewellery Show e la HKTDC Hong Kong International Diamond, Pearl e Gem Show. I prodotti di gioielleria saranno esposti all’Hong Kong International Jewellery Show e all’Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre dal 5-9 Marzo 2014.

Mosca / Una copia della corona dello zar. Il Gruppo Jewellery Smolensk Diamonds ha presentato nella città di Voronezh una replica della corona dello zar. La corona è stata realizzata in oro bianco e tempestato con più di 11 mila diamanti. È stata assicurata con una polizza per 100 milioni di dollari. La creazione ha richiesto circa un anno e mezzo di lavoro e 60 persone. Il gruppo Jewellery Smolensk Diamonds è una filiale della Production Association Crystal.

New York / Jewelry sales increase. In the United States, in April, sales of jewelry were up 17.7 percent over last year, at an altitude of $ 2.4 billion. And at the same time the price index for jewelry fell by 1, 2 percent. In the first four months of 2013, sales in the jewelry store remained strong, with an increase of 10.6 percent to $ 9.568 billion compared to the first four months of 2012.

Istanbul / Cancelled summit of diamonds. The demonstrations against Erdogan relapsed also about the world of rpeziosi: the International Diamond Manufacturers Association (IDMA) has in fact canceled the meeting that was to play in Istanbul. The organization has emphasized the problems of security in the Turkish city.

Hong Kong / The exhibition of jewelery doubles. In 2014 the Hong Kong International Jewellery Show (HKTDC) will be separated into two different spaces: the reason is the increase in demand by businesses and visitors. The organizers of the show have said that it is “necessary to ensure sufficient space for further development.” As of March 2014, the fair will be divided into two events in two locations: the HKTDC Hong Kong International Jewellery Show and the HKTDC Hong Kong International Diamond, Pearl and Gem Show. The jewelry products will be on display at the Hong Kong International Jewellery Show and Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre from 5 to 9 March 2014.

Moscow / The Group Smolensk Diamonds Jewellery in the city of Voronezh has presented a replica of the crown of the Tsar. The crown was made of white gold and studded with more than 11 thousand diamonds. It was secured with a bill for $ 100 million. The creation took about a year and a half of work and 60 people. The group Smolensk Diamonds Jewellery is a subsidiary of Crystal Production Association.