Cover De Beers CEO Céline Assimon shares how the Ascending Shadows necklace and earrings from the maison’s Alchemist of Light high jewellery collection use innovative materials and techniques (Photo: courtesy of De Beers)
De Beers CEO Céline Assimon shares how the Ascending Shadows necklace and earrings from the maison’s Alchemist of Light high jewellery collection use innovative materials and techniques (Photo: courtesy of De Beers)
1 / 1
Céline Assimon sheds light on how the brand’s new collection is rewriting the rulebook on high jewellery design
It was De Beers’ “Diamonds are forever” campaign in 1947 that catapulted the stone into becoming the most sought-after symbol of wealth and luxury, and established it as the go-to gem for engagement and wedding rings. Now, 76 years later, De Beers CEO Céline Assimon is leading the revolution to showcase diamonds in a new light, as the maison plays anew with how light can reflect and refract on various cuts and colours. This revolution in high jewellery has been captured in the brand’s new collection: Alchemist of Light.
Tatler recently sat down with Assimon at the label’s newly opened flagship store on Canton Road to discuss the creative process behind the new collection, and the need for high jewellery to incorporate innovative materials and designs.
In case you missed it: This Indian king is behind one of the most expensive jewellery pieces ever made
Above Light Rays Crown Ring from Alchemist of Light collection (Photo: courtesy of De Beers)
Above Lupita Nyong’o wearing the Light Rays Crown Ring (Photo: courtesy of De Beers)
Light Rays Crown Ring from Alchemist of Light collection (Photo: courtesy of De Beers)
1 / 2
What is your vision for De Beers Jewellers? And how does the Alchemist of Light high jewellery collection fit into it?
I joined De Beers as the CEO two and a half years ago. It was an interesting time because we were about to announce our 2030 goals in terms of sustainability and ESG credentials—a programme called Building Forever. So, [it was] a bit of transformation for the brand, and for me; it was interesting to embark on a transformative journey for our products.
We’re very strong in bridal and classic designs—whether they’re everyday pieces or more evening pieces—we cover the whole price range. But with the Alchemist of Light high jewellery collection, we tried something new. I had seen titanium and aluminium used in watchmaking, and the idea to use these materials [in coloured form] for this collection came out of discussions with the team. We’ve always been pioneers: it takes a pioneering spirit to discover a place to recover diamonds and bring them to life, and then cut and polish them into the best of the best. We wanted to apply that same pioneering spirit to high jewellery, which is a small but very visible part of our product portfolio.
Above Simone Ashley of “Bridgerton” fame wearing the Light Rays Collar Necklace (Photo: courtesy of De Beers)
Above Light Rays Collar Necklace from The Alchemist of Light collection (Photo: courtesy of De Beers)
Simone Ashley of “Bridgerton” fame wearing the Light Rays Collar Necklace (Photo: courtesy of De Beers)
1 / 2
What was the inspiration behind the pieces in Alchemist of Light?
When we started this collection, it was locked down everywhere [because of the pandemic] and the creative team [was] stuck in one place, which was very difficult for them. I was just getting to know them and I said, “What is the theme we want to explore?” So, we started to reflect on what’s unique about this collection. [Since we couldn’t travel for inspiration] we got inspired by the very process of jewellery-making.
In the high jewellery world, we tend to use titanium when we’re making big pavé earrings [because it’s lighter, which] makes it more comfortable to wear. But [we had never treated] it with colour. So, I challenged my team and asked, “Do we know people who know how to do this?”
And while we wanted to have colours, we also wanted [to create] something hypoallergenic. I did not want anything that peels off, [I wanted something that is] safe and comfortable to wear.
I have sat with clients [with stories about times when] the necklace is too heavy, or the earrings are too heavy. You shouldn’t have to take off your million-dollar earrings and put them in your handbag in the middle of a gala dinner. So, this was the starting point.
Above Ascending Shadows necklace (Photo: courtesy of De Beers)
Above Ascending Shadows earrings and ring in British pink (Photo: courtesy of De Beers)
Ascending Shadows necklace (Photo: courtesy of De Beers)
1 / 2
Earlier, you mentioned treating metals with colour for this collection. Tell us more about this process.
[Infusing] colour [into metal] was a really interesting direction for us because our coloured diamonds are rather small. Whether they’re pink or grey, [10-15 carats] is the biggest they get, so we had to explore different materials. And that’s how we were led to titanium and aluminium.
Typically, we would sell, say, a pink diamond in a solitaire ring with micro pavé. That becomes a million-dollar ring. But we thought what if this diamond can play dress up [with coloured metal] and have more freedom of expression? That’s how we started thinking about the Alchemist of Light.
Take, for instance, this Ascending Shadows necklace (pictured above). It’s not a painting or coating. It’s an electrical process. Every piece of the necklace has to be exposed to the same bath in electrolytes to give it the same colour and it’s completely organic. There’s no set recipe for this new collection. We really have to experiment and wait, it’s a [test of] patience. We’ve had to redo the bath on this [pink diamond] ring many times before we got the exact shade. We wanted a dusty pink, very British pink, not a bubble gum pink (collection pictured above).
Why is this collection called Alchemist of Light, when the focus is on coloured metal?
We have this incredible tool that you put your diamond in, and you can see how well the diamond reflects and refracts the light. All the facets align and shine, giving you light. The light splits into different colourways, and [I thought] that would be an interesting theme to explore: the power of light.
Read more: From Boucheron to Bulgari: The path of gender-fluid jewellery in the journey of self-expression
How do you stay ahead of your competition?
High jewellery is our innovation laboratory and this is where we are willing to take risks. Unlike our competitors, we don’t have 200 years of archives. In a way, it’s quite liberating not to be constrained by one specific aesthetic. It gives us an advantage when it comes to trying new things by observing the world and acting like a sponge.
How do you see the De Beers brand evolving in the future?
We’ve been very innovative with Talisman, which is my favourite collection. But our challenge was in bringing an influx of creativity into all our collections. I decided to start with our high jewellery and couture collections. With [around] 50 pieces a year, we consider [our high jewellery and couture collections] as a fairly small creative and innovation lab where we can test new materials, and different shapes and textures of diamonds.
As the Regional Editor for Watches and Jewellery and Editorial Content Lead for Tatler GMT, Amrita Katara specialises in luxury watch and jewellery coverage across Asia, with expertise in editorial strategy, feature writing and interviews with industry leaders. Her past roles span luxury lifestyle media and client partnerships. Based in Mumbai, Amrita’s work bridges global trends and Asian market insights.
