Specialist Picks: Shop the Best Jewelry Pieces to Buy Now
From Schlumberger’s Bird on a Rock to Cartier Menotte and Van Cleef & Arpels Miroir des Eaux, this month’s jewelry picks put distinctive design in focus.
This month’s jewelry picks bring together designs that show just how differently the major houses approach form, materials and signature motifs. Handpicked by our specialists, the selection moves from Jean Schlumberger’s intricate work for Tiffany & Co. to the graphic geometry of Cartier’s Menotte collection and Van Cleef & Arpels’ interpretation of blossoms reflected on water.
There is also a strong emphasis on how stones shape the character of a jewel. Bvlgari pairs cultured pearls with approximately 11 carats of diamonds in a platinum brooch, while Schlumberger’s Bird on a Rock places his playful bird motif atop an amethyst weighing nearly 70 carats. Alongside these statement pieces, Tiffany & Co.’s Sixteen Stone pendant offers a smaller-scale expression of Schlumberger’s design language, giving this month’s selection a wide range of proportions and approaches to fine jewelry.
Schlumberger Signature: Tiffany & Co. Platinum, Gold and Diamond Sixteen Stone Circle Pendant Necklace, $7,000
Jean Schlumberger’s Sixteen Stone design is defined by its alternating arrangement of diamonds and gold cross-stitch motifs, a combination that gives the setting its distinctive sense of movement. In this Tiffany & Co. Schlumberger Sixteen Stone Circle Pendant Necklace, the motif is condensed into a circular pendant set with approximately 0.55 carat of round brilliant-cut diamonds and suspended from an 18-karat yellow gold chain.
The contrast between platinum-set diamonds and yellow gold gives the pendant more dimension than a conventional diamond circle, while the ¾-inch scale keeps the design easy to wear. It is a quieter expression of Schlumberger’s work, but the construction retains the visual rhythm and inventive use of metal that distinguish his designs for Tiffany & Co.
Graphic Geometry: Cartier White Gold, Onyx and Diamond Menotte Crossover Ring, $28,000
Cartier’s Menotte collection is built around a bold crossover form, with opposing ends that curve toward one another rather than meeting in a conventional band. This Cartier White Gold, Onyx and Diamond Menotte Crossover Ring is an especially elaborate version of the design, set with approximately 2.35 carats of baguette-cut diamonds and finished with bullet-shaped black onyx terminals.
The baguette setting is an important feature of this example. These diamond-set Menotte rings represent a more elaborate and sought-after expression of the collection, with the linear cut of the stones reinforcing the ring’s sculptural geometry. Black onyx sharpens the contrast against the diamonds and white gold, giving the crossover silhouette a distinctly graphic quality.
Nature in Reflection: Van Cleef & Arpels White Gold, Onyx, Mother-of-Pearl and Diamond Miroir des Eaux Earclips, $45,000
Van Cleef & Arpels has long looked to the natural world for inspiration, but the Miroir des Eaux Earclips take that idea a step further by depicting both a flowering prunus branch and its reflection in water. Mother-of-pearl and black onyx create the mirrored composition, while brilliant-cut diamonds trace the blossoms and bring light into the graphic black-and-white design.
The lower fringe extends the sense of movement with spectacle-set brilliant-cut and pear-shaped diamonds, bringing the total diamond weight to approximately 4.50 carats. At three inches long, the earclips have a pronounced sculptural presence, yet the contrast of opaque hardstones and open-set diamonds keeps the composition visually light. The result captures Van Cleef & Arpels’ ability to translate a fleeting natural image into an intricate piece of jewelry.
Pearls in Focus: Bvlgari Platinum, Cultured Pearl and Diamond Brooch, $45,000
The Bvlgari Platinum, Cultured Pearl and Diamond Brooch places cultured pearls at the center of a design defined by contrast. Measuring from 8.00 to 10.70mm, the pearls are arranged alongside approximately 11 carats of tapered baguette-cut diamonds, whose crisp geometry provides a striking counterpoint to the pearls’ rounded forms and soft luster.
Platinum keeps the setting visually restrained, allowing the relationship between the pearls and diamonds to drive the composition. The substantial diamond weight also gives the brooch greater presence than a traditional pearl jewel, while the elongated 2¾-inch silhouette emphasizes its sculptural quality. It is an elegant example of Bvlgari working beyond the bold colored gemstones and yellow gold more commonly associated with the house.
Sculptural Icon: Tiffany & Co. Gold, Platinum, Amethyst and Diamond Bird on a Rock Brooch, $82,000
Jean Schlumberger created Bird on a Rock in 1965, transforming the traditional gemstone brooch into something far more playful. This Tiffany & Co. Schlumberger Bird on a Rock Brooch centers on a cushion-shaped amethyst weighing approximately 69.94 carats, with Schlumberger’s diamond-set bird perched above it in yellow gold and platinum. A small ruby forms the eye, adding a sharp point of color against the purple stone.
The scale of the amethyst gives this example much of its presence. Rather than surrounding the center stone with a conventional setting, Schlumberger turns it into a pedestal for the bird, allowing its color and proportions to become part of the composition itself. Approximately 2.99 carats of round brilliant-cut diamonds articulate the bird without competing with the amethyst below, capturing the wit and technical precision that have made Bird on a Rock one of Schlumberger’s defining designs for Tiffany & Co.
This Month’s Fine Jewelry Picks
This month’s selection shows how signature jewelry can take many forms. Schlumberger approached gemstones with imagination and movement, Cartier used geometry to give the Menotte its distinctive profile, while Van Cleef & Arpels translated the natural world through hardstones and diamonds. Bvlgari offers another perspective, using the contrast between pearls and sharply cut diamonds to create a more sculptural composition.
Together, these fine jewelry pieces demonstrate the strength of a design with a clear point of view. Whether expressed through an established house motif or an unexpected combination of materials, each has an identity that goes beyond the value of its gemstones alone.
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