The hexagon leaves its mark on the world of jewelry
France has always left its mark on jewelry. But our title evokes the geometric shape , not our beautiful country. Indeed, jewelers' love affair with the Art Deco style shows no sign of slowing down. The proliferation of the French language in recent luxury jewelry designs is perfect proof of this.
Hexagonal jewelry: the trend is accelerating
Hexagonal motifs or stones cut in the shape of a hexagon are increasingly present in luxury jewelry for 2023. Natalie Wansbrough-Jones, a London-based stylist who has worked for Elle and Grazia magazines, called the hexagon an unusual shape that lends itself to creating jewelry that is “ really artistic and quite architectural .” The shape, she says, has been particularly embraced by jewelers who are “ quite creative .”
Jewelry with hexagons has a playful style, she told the NYT, and gives them a new dimension. This summer, the hexagon was a central piece in Gucci's high jewelry collection: its iconic horsebit (celebrating its 70th anniversary) was interwoven with geometric shapes, including the hexagon, on rings, necklaces, and single or double bracelets in yellow gold.
Hexagonal emeralds appeared at Venyx, the brand owned by Eugénie Niarchos, which often favors angular and geometric jewelry. And London-based jeweler Hirsh recently sold a platinum ring set with a 3.84-carat navy blue indicolite tourmaline. To emphasize the stone's hexagonal shape, each of its six faces was accented with tiny triangular orange garnets.
Chaumet Jewelry: Pioneer in the Use of the Hexagon
For over a decade, the hexagon has been the cornerstone of Chaumet's Bee My Love jewelry collection. It's a natural fit, given that a honeycomb is composed of hexagonal cells . In 2021, the house further cemented its claim by creating its own exclusive hexagonal cut, the Impératrice cut .
“ We thought: let’s go back to our roots, to the heart of what makes Chaumet a jeweler, ” said Jean-Marc Mansvelt , CEO of Chaumet. These origins are metal and stones, especially diamonds . The Empress cut has 88 facets . It therefore produces more light and reflections than other cuts. For comparison, a brilliant-cut diamond has 57 facets.
The Impératrice cut is now a staple of the entire Bee My Love jewelry collection. Chaumet's exclusive cut is also featured in the house's fine jewelry creations, including Le Jardin de Chaumet , presented this summer 2023.
The hexagon, a shape with a spiritual dimension
In addition to the symmetry of the hexagon, some jewelers appreciate its spiritual dimension . Krishna Choudhary is a 10th-generation jeweler and founder of the Indian house Santi . In Indian culture, the hexagon is a symbol of sacred geometry . It is found in temples and used for spiritual rites.
“ It signifies the union of feminine and masculine energies, ” he explained. Mr. Choudhary recently exploited this shape in a ring set with an antique hexagonal emerald surrounded by six hexagonal diamonds , all presented on a platinum band paved with diamonds. Goldsmith Sabine Roemer said she appreciates the hexagon’s “ symbol of unity and balance .”
British jeweler Graff also experimented with Art Deco jewelry. His Laurence Graff Signature line of diamond pendants uses round brilliant-cut diamonds in hexagonal settings.
