Jewelry reptiles

EKATERINA ISTOMINA

Sara Weinstock ring

Nikos Koulis pendant

Temple St. Ring Claire

Boucheron Serpent Boheme Ring

Bvlgari watches

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Carrera y Carrera brooch

Hermes Niloticus necklace

Hermes Niloticus ring

Sara Weinstock ring

Nikos Koulis pendant

Temple St. Ring Claire

Boucheron Serpent Boheme Ring

Bvlgari watches

In June of this year, the famous French house Hermes showed a new jewelry collection, Niloticus. The design of these original jewelry (the collection includes a necklace, two types of rings, earrings and a bracelet) was made by Pierre Hardy, the jewelry designer of this legendary brand, who once formulated the philosophy of this house’s jewelry.

In the Niloticus line, Pierre Hardy continues to successfully develop the technique he mastered a year ago, in gold jewelry that was miniature copies of the iconic Hermes Birkin and Kelly bags. We are talking about a special technique of embossing on gold, with which the effect of precious leather is achieved. In the new Niloticus jewelry, dedicated, as Hermès says, to the art of Ancient Egypt, the invented technique is presented no less impressively than in last year’s tiny pendant bags. However, these pleasantly heavy, massive, golden, exotic items from Niloticus d'Hermes show not only the described technique, but also a very important jewelry trend - reptile jewelry.

Reptiles have become popular thanks to the Chinese zodiac calendar, which places 2013 under the sign of the Snake. The Chinese market today is strategic for all global manufacturers of luxury goods, including jewelers and watchmakers. And the snake, beloved by the Chinese, was thus appointed to the role of the main character of the entire current year.

Of course, every jewelry brand tries to create its own original reptile. For example, the Italian house Bvlgari remembers the good old snakes - jewelry watches in the form of a twisted spring with a flat watch case at the end. 50 years ago, Elizabeth Taylor enjoyed collecting precious Serpenti Bvlgari watch models, but today the Italian brand offers lightweight replica watches of previous luxury models.

For the French jewelry house Boucheron, the snake is a historical hero: it first appeared in the brand’s jewelry at the turn of the 19th-20th centuries, when the Art Nouveau style was popular. Boucheron snakes are distinguished by sculptural volumes and complex embossing. The Spanish jewelry house Carrera & Carrera, in addition to snakes, also displays a brooch in the shape of a crocodile’s head: the brand’s jewelers tried to emboss the leather as authentically as possible.

Golden predators