The white gold Parure No. 2 bracelet is set with diamonds, sculpted chrysoprase and two emerald-cut diamonds. Images courtesy of Chaumet.

The white gold Parure No. 2 bracelet is set with diamonds, sculpted chrysoprase and two emerald-cut diamonds.

BY LESLIE JORDAN CLARY

Chaumet introduces its 2014 high jewelry collection, Lumières d’eau, with a quote by Gaston Bachelard: “Water is an inverted sky where stars take on a new life.” Each exquisitely crafted example from this 53-piece set does indeed shimmer with a life of its own. The precise placement of gemstones evokes water in all of its scintillating complexity, from the fluidity of Parure No 3, a flowing necklace that includes red spinels, aquamarine and tourmaline, to the frosted beauty of Parures No. 12, a platinum set that uses glittering diamonds and rock crystal to represent winter’s ice. The task of re-imagining water into jewelry required a commitment of 600 to 800 hours of work for a single necklace.

—Oct. 3, 2014