The Ondes Et Merveilles De Chaumet Shows Us A Daring New Way To Pay Tribute To The Oceans

Of highly interpretive designs and a jubilant combination of coloured stones and materials.

By Charmain Leong - published 28 Sep 2022

Nature is a boundless source of beauty and inspiration. For centuries, jewellery makers have looked to flora and fauna to give life to the glittering jewels they create. Chaumet’s artisans have similarly drawn from the natural world, but its latest high jewellery collection, Ondes et Merveilles de Chaumet, is the first one in its history that’s dedicated entirely to the sea.

Ondes et Merveilles de Chaumet is actually an extension of its previous high jewellery collection, Torsade de Chaumet, which was designed as an ode to life and movement through swirls of diamonds touched by the vivid hues of sapphires, rubies and emeralds. But while the Torsade pieces presented elegant ribbon-like motifs that added a sense of playful movement to Chaumet’s typically regal oeuvre, Ondes et Merveilles offers wildly expressive creations bursting with colour, character and story.

These two À Fleur d’Eau brooches can be attached to each other to make a bigger head ornament, while the ring is crowned with a 3.03 carat oval-cut diamond. Photo: Chaumet
Chaumet À Fleur d’Eau brooches

The theme of water runs clearly in several parures. The À Fleur d’Eau suite perfectly captures the sparkling surface of the seas. Set on several levels, marquise diamonds play the role of water droplets, appearing to almost ripple with glee on a fully articulated necklace. The pear-shaped diamond dangle, weighing 7.18 carats, can be detached from the necklace. Meanwhile, the head jewel can be separated to form two brooches that also follow this fl uid, wave-like form. The set is completed with pendant earrings and a 3-carat diamond ring.

Undulating and luscious, the Escales parure combines greens, blues and rustic, brick-like orange to express the same serenity you might feel when gazing at boats bobbing on a serene harbour. Like those boats, warm spinels rest in a row atop a wave of sapphires on the short necklace. Pear-cut diamonds dangle serenely from climbing earrings, while a pear-shaped Paraíba tourmaline crowned with more spinels glistens from a ring.

The adjustable Gulfstream necklace with a 19.83-carat Australian black opal and a 5.39-carat Colombian emerald.

Photo: Chaumet — The adjustable Gulfstream necklace with a 19.83-carat Australian black opal and a 5.39-carat Colombian emerald. Photo: Chaumet

Where Escales celebrates stillness and calm, Gulfstream evokes the rush and energy of the Atlantic ocean current it was named after. Greens and blues come together in perfect harmony in a necklace set with sapphires, Paraíba tourmalines and emeralds, concluding dramatically in a 26-carat mint-green Colombian emerald that hangs o a magnificent Madagascar sapphire. This necklace is adjustable thanks to a pompom-adorned back. In a similar style, a second necklace pairs a cabochon emerald with a striking 19.84-carat black Australian opal, where its fiery colours are meant to be reminiscent of a summer night sky. The Maison’s toi et moi rings continue this soothing palette, while sapphires and Mandarin garnets remind us of sunsets over water as they glisten in a brooch, transformable bracelet and earrings.

While sea creatures have also been a rich source of design motifs, Chaumet has chosen to keep it abstract for this collection. The Chant de Sirènes doesn’t seduce with the form of a siren, but channels their hypnotic beauty by intertwining green-tinted Tahitian pearls with crisp tourmalines—the largest being a cushion-cut stone weighing 23.79 carats. These icy green tourmalines also take centre stage on the iconic Chaumet tiara, earrings and rings.

Treasures abound in our oceans, and Chaumet has brought to the fore its beauties of shimmering pearls, polished pebbles washed ashore, and the cheerful diversity of coral reefs. Comètes des Mers pulls together natural pearls in shades of light grey, mauve and olive shades to cluster around an explosion of multi-coloured stones that form a sea star anchored by a Padparadscha sapphire. In the Chasse aux Trésors parure, chrysoprase branches unfurl and carry tsavorite garnets, purple and pink sapphires, and emeralds to provide an interpretation of the fertile seabed. This set also boasts a sautoir of coral beads and a necklace of pink spinels and Padparadscha sapphires crowned by a 21.35-carat pear-shaped pink tourmaline. As we move from the depths of the ocean to sandy shores, the collection reveals rose and white gold pebbles adorned with rows of diamonds that mimic water washing over the stones.

The Chasse aux Trésors ring’s 20.95-carat Imperial topaz. Photo: Chaumet
Chaumet Chasse aux Trésors ring

The Ondes et Merveilles de Chaumet collection also winks at sea-loving, sea-faring lifestyles. The joyful colours and flavours of beachside living—think lively parasols and refreshing cocktails—are the inspiration behind the Sous le Soleil set.

Described by the brand as radiant and tangy, the Sous le Soleil borrows from Art Deco to give these juicy rubellites, chalcedony discs, tourmalines and chrysoprase half-spheres some bold structure amid the playful colours. Finally, Encres is a series of unisex brooches inspired by sailor tattoos. Each of the fi ve brooches depicts a di erent scene, from seagulls and albatrosses to lighthouses and ships. Diamond clouds shine against turquoise skies, while grand feu enamel gives the waters sumptuous shades of blue and green. The banners are inscribed with romantic messages, such as “Ne m’oublie pas” (“Forget me not”) and “L’amour me guide” (“Love is my guide”). Each brooch conceals a pendant ring that can be revealed as desired to accommodate a gold chain so you can also wear it as a necklace.

The ocean is a theme that has been explored countless times by countless jewellers, but the Ondes et Merveilles de Chaumet proves that that the Maison’s creativity, craftsmanship and storytelling can reimagine even the most familiar scenes into brand new worlds of wonder.