Eternal Water: Boucheron’s Claire Choisne melds art and nature in new Or Bleu Collection

Another unconventional material present in the collection is black sand, seen in pieces like the Sable Noir set of a cuff, necklace and a pair of earrings. While this is not the first time Boucheron has used black sand in a high jewellery collection, it is the first instance where black sand is paired with 3D printing. Using a technique traditionally employed in the automotive and aeronautics industries, polymer binder was precision-sprayed onto the black sand in extremely fine layers, adhering the grains to one another into compacted and durable, iridescent shapes. The three Sable Noir creations showcase the natural texture of black sand in an innovative way, contrasted with the brilliance of diamonds to create visually impactful jewellery.

Alongside its innovative techniques, Boucheron continues to perpetuate traditional jewellery craftsmanship in its modern creations, such as the etching technique known as  eau-forte in French. To immortalise the fleeting moment when a wave swells before breaking, Boucheron’s craftsmen used eau-forte to etch the wave design in the Eau Forte bracelet very precisely into a white gold plate. This process involves applying a coat of acid-resistant wax to the metal part of the bracelet, before the design is etched into the wax. Then, the piece is submerged in an acid solution which dissolves the gold in places where it has not been covered in wax, creating depth in the hollows and contours of the waves. 

Layers of white and black lacquer were then applied by airbrush and digital laser printing respectively to paint the scene of a wave crashing over black sand. The final touch is diamond paving, adding a dazzling sparkle to this piece that required 900 hours of craftsmanship and precision to the nearest millimetre

True to Boucheron’s avant-garde approach to jewellery, the Or Bleu collection also comprises some more unexpected creations like hair jewels and shoulder brooches. The main component of the Vague asymmetrical earrings functions as both a brooch and hair jewel, and pays homage to the power of water, echoing a 1910 tiara from Boucheron’s archives inspired by the famous work by Japanese artist Hokusai, The Great Wave off Kanagawa. Boucheron’s artisans sculpted this organically shaped piece by hand using the lost-wax casting technique, in which the design is first formed in wax before a mould is set around it to produce a negative. Once the wax is melted away, gold is poured into the mould to take its wave-like shape. Finally, 851 round diamonds were set into the gold, capturing the dynamic motion and organic poetry of the sea.

Similarly, the pair of Eau Vive shoulder brooches present another unique way to wear high jewellery. These perfectly symmetrical pieces add a dramatic flair to an outfit, vividly capturing the crashing force of Icelandic waters as they surge over the body’s contours. Fusing cutting-edge technology and high jewellery savoir-faire, Eau Vive was designed with 3D software to mimic the appearance of crashing waves, then sculpted from a single rectangular block of aluminium. Aluminium is eight times lighter than gold, ensuring the brooches do not weigh its wearer down. Once sculpted, these diamond-set waves were immersed in a palladium bath to give them a deeper shine. A powerful magnetic system secures the brooches, allowing considerable freedom of movement while ensuring they remain in place. 

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