Last night saw the launch of London’s Masterpiece 2012 – a fabulous fair devoted to art and antiquities across the ages and of the very highest order.
From gilded mirrors and oriental textiles to Baroque furniture and mid century homewares everything the dedicated aesthete could wish for is available to buy along Masterpiece’s plush aisles.
Naturally, it was the jewellery that lured Adorn London in. As well as the pick of the vintage dealers whose displays groaned under the weight of bibelots from the likes of Cartier, Van Cleef and Boucheron, contemporary works such as Theo Fennell’s Castle Ring – complete with fully functioning drawbridge – and Hemmerle’s colour-rich collection had us dreaming of the day we win the lottery.
This year also sees the Masterpiece debut of Brilliant – an exhibition of diamonds celebrating the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee curated by Carol Woolton, jewellery editor of Vogue UK. Brilliant’s raison d’etre is to showcase one of a kind fine jewellery pieces such as a £29,000 black diamond and emerald collar by Karl Lagerfeld (below right), a pair of shoes adorned with diamonds and feathers by Bruno Frisoni for Roger Vivier, and pieces by Wendy Yue and Bochic whose work Woolton came across a when the jewellers were guest designers at Annoushka.
Both the exquisite Fantasie Mosaic Village Diamond bangle by Wendy Yue and the Caged Beauty earrings by Bochic (below left) were commissioned by Woolton specifically for the exhibition and – if appreciative gasps were anything to go by – were a big hit with all concerned.
Masterpiece London 2012 runs until 4th July at the South Grounds of the Royal Hospital Chelsea.
Words: Maia Adams
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London Jewellery Week had plenty of highlights for us this year, but without a doubt one of our favourite moments was meeting Dickson Yewn – a wonderful Chinese jeweller and the latest guest designer to showcase his work at the Sloane Square boutique of jewellery doyenne 
Maia Adams
De Grisogono ‘Hippo’ cuff
Featured as part of the “BRILLIANT Exhibition” curated by Vogue’s Jewellery Editor, Carol Woolton, to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Year, de Grisogono’s ‘Hippo’ cuff stole my heart. Designed by de Grisogono founder and designer extraordinaire, Fawaz Gruosi, the cuff is made in white and rose gold set with combinations of brown, grey and white diamonds, pink sapphires and rubies. As I marvel at the masterpiece, nostalgia kicks in and I remember sunset cruises in Southern Africa watching the hippos wallow in glorious mud.
Have a lovely weekend!
Juliet Hutton-Squire