Aptly titled “Human Being,” the collection is composed of five distinct sets of jewelry that highlight the similarities that bring us together and the differences that make each of us unique, the brand said.
They are “Rain,” “Flower,” “Light,” “Tattoo,” and “Checkers.”
Boucheron said for the collection, Creative Director Claire Choisne chose to focus on the cluster necklace because it is comprised of different stones that form a unified composition.
The different techniques used to craft each necklace is what makes each set unique, a decision Choisne made because she is a jeweler by training with an appreciation for the technical mastery that only human hands can attain.
“The closer you look, the more you discover, as in each of us, those details that define who we are,” Boucheron said.
Each of the five sets features a ring and necklace.
The “Rain” necklace with 4,800 diamonds set in rock crystal on a white gold frame
Boucheron’s “Rain” necklace as seen on a model
The first jewelry set, Rain, creates the illusion of a cascade of diamonds dripping down the wearer’s skin.
Rock crystal was the material of choice for this set because its transparency makes the diamonds appear to be suspended in time and space, like rain.
To achieve this, Boucheron’s artisans crafted hollow forms shaped like droplets out of rock crystal.
They then placed the diamonds inside by hand, layering them between coats of plant-based resin before sealing each droplet and linking them together via an articulated spine crafted of white gold and set with diamonds.
The process took 1,300 hours and involved placing a total of 4,800 diamonds.
A video of the process can be seen above.
The “Flower” necklace uses 1,532 carats of pink quartz showcasing micro paintings of florals and accented by pavé diamonds, as well as a 3.26-carat cushion-cut diamond at the center with pink gold, white gold, and platinum.
The Flower set was inspired by a motif Boucheron’s studio team designed that is similar to floral-patterned wallpaper.
Each stage of a flower’s unfolding is included in the necklace and ring, from a tender bud to the fully unfurled petals.
A painter who specializes in micro-miniatures hand-painted the botanical designs on each piece of rose quartz.
They used magnification to apply paint to the gemstone, using shadows and light to create the illusion of depth and painting in microscopic detail, which was finished with a matte varnish.
Each piece of rose quartz was then individually pierced and mounted to a pin framework without visible prongs, and set with diamonds.
Like the necklace in Rain, diamonds were used between the pieces of rose quartz so none of the necklace’s metal framework is visible.
The “Light” ring features 174 carats of morganite and a 0.72-carat pear-cut diamond set in pink gold and platinum along with diamond accents set in sapphire glass.
The Light set plays with different sizes, shapes, positions, and combinations of morganites set with and without diamonds for play of light.
More than 1,500 carats of morganites were matched for uniform color intensity and cut; some were hollowed out to accommodate the metal framework necessary to set diamonds within them.
Because morganite is a relatively soft stone (7.5-8 on the Mohs hardness scale), Boucheron’s bench jewelers fitted and screwed the rose gold prongs around each gemstone, instead of using traditional hammering techniques.
The “Tattoo” necklace showcases 580 carats of smoky quartz carved using the glyptic art technique for a bas-relief effect. A 1.74-carat troidia-cut diamond is at the center of the piece with pavé diamond accents in white gold.
As its name implies, the Tattoo set was designed to recreate the effect of tattoos on the skin.
The motifs chosen for the necklace and ring were inspired by the aesthetic of Victorian-era tattoos and drawn from Boucheron’s favorite and archival motifs—the poppy, rose, chickadee, cicada, snake, butterfly, and foliage.
The motifs are mirrored symmetrically from the center of both the necklace and ring to form a composition that creates the illusion of a real tattoo.
This was done using the glyptic art gemstone carving technique.
Glyptic art is an ancient craft in which the stone is deeply incised; it is the technique used to create both cameos and intaglios.
For this set, a gem carver worked the pattern on the stone’s reverse side, using subtle variations in depth, relief, and texture to catch the light and alter the way the motifs are perceived.
Boucheron said it invented more than 200 tools tailored to a specific detail of the engraving to achieve the design.
Since quartz is a hard material, new tools were continuously manufactured and remodeled as they were worn down.
The “Checkers” ring centers on a 0.71-carat pear-cut diamond and 133 carats of onyx featuring a houndstooth pattern engraved into the gemstone using a femtosecond laser. The ring is accented by pavé diamonds in titanium and crafted in white gold.
Checkers is the final set.
Its design was inspired by a textile pattern that Choisne is particularly fond of, houndstooth.
Rather than recreate the pattern, Boucheron aimed to recreate the textile’s tactile quality by engraving onyx with a femtosecond laser, a technology commonly used in watchmaking.
The laser emits a series of ultra-fast micro-pulses that remove material without heating it up.
Boucheron used the laser on 163 pieces of onyx for the necklace and ring.
Each piece was engraved and placed in its setting to showcase an uninterrupted pattern flowing from one piece of onyx to the next.
Extensive CAD modeling was used to ensure the pattern was uniform.
Custom-made tools were also used for this set, Boucheron said, specifically 163 setting tools, because each stone’s individual shape required its own unique caliber.
The six central pieces of onyx in the necklace were also hollowed out to make the piece lighter.
The Human Being collection can be viewed in full on the Boucheron website.