Gucci has long been famous for its aristocratic and chic fashion luxuries, from handbags to sunglasses, this titan of the trade has become a household name synonymous with expensive tastes and refined accessories. Many today though are expressing their curious interest in a relatively new venture from the company- fine jewelry from the artistic mind of designer Alessandro Michele. Aptly titled "Hortus Deliciarum", Michele has created a series of 200 unique jewelry pieces that center around the verdant natural wonder of a garden teeming with life.



A romantic take on the concept of eternal love inspired him to incorporate a pristine selection of coloured gemstones for many of his pieces. Themes that centralise on the emotion exuded by both flora and fauna, manifest themselves well in this exuberant collection of wearable artworks. Gemstones such as tourmaline, diamonds and topaz scintillate and glitter against the bold metals and convoluting designs, depicting his subjects in an ambience of tantalising mystic and true novelty.



Gucci's pioneer fine jewelry boutique will be at the famed Place Vendôme, a locality known for its series of high end luxury galleries and shops, with brands like Van Cleef & Arpels and Cartier showing prominent collections of their own in the area.

The current stone, weight at just a bit over the lucky number 88, is sure to please many collectors at the event's location in Hong Kong. The number represents a 'double infinity' for many cultural societies, and it's very rare to see such a large diamond in this exact carat weight. The rise of asia as a primary force in the jewelry-buying sector shows how its influence also affects the decision of high-end diamond cutters to tailor stones precisely for this growing market.

Patti Wong, chairman of Sotheby’s Asia, labeled the stone as a rare “treasure” in a statement made dates before the event. Sotheby's has always been a driving force in the auction world, most especially for jewelry and the arts. They've been able to publicise and sell some of the world's largest faceted diamonds, in all manners of shapes and color hues. Last year (2018), the sales totalled from their jewelry auctions is said to be somewhere slightly over 400 million dollars.

For the delightfully selective at heart, a jewelry piece represents more than just luxury. It pronounces itself as a form of personal art, expressing volumes about an individual's taste and style. Most would agree that this could even be likened to high fashion, tailoring beauty to suite the originalities of every client.




The major design houses around the world, purposefully select the gemstones they use for their jewelry. Established designers are always on the lookout for the very best gems in terms of quality, color and cutting grade. This creates the barrier between fine jewelry and commercial pieces. The latter represents jewelry that is merely 'there as is', or bought and sold in mass quantities.



Selecting a sapphire for example, allows one to determine how he or she would like to position the piece of jewelry with regards to current market levels. An unheated cornflower blue sapphire from Sri Lanka would be an exquisite choice for the centerpiece of a high-end sculptural ring. On the other hand, a suite of beryllium diffused orange sapphires may go well with a more affordable but classic channel-set men's ring.

Choosing the gemstones for your jewelry is a time-consuming, but rewarding activity that allows you to expand your breadth of appreciation for the craft. You get to play a part in the creation of something that may be passed down from generation to generation throughout the course of your family's history.

It's an act that does not have to be limited to the design houses alone, or to retailers. Individuals can look for their own stones, and select those separately to bring to a jewelry manufacturer somewhere else. This mixing of sources is sometimes also the best way to get the optimum returns for your budget (although other times it can also cost you more.)




Whether it's for someone else or your personal enjoyment, remember that nowadays people have an easier time finding loose gemstones to buy. The availability of high-end online merchants plus the access to several trade shows will give you a good reason to spend that extra time and effort in choosing that brilliant gemstone to set as the centerpiece of your jewelry.

Typically, you wouldn't see fine jewelry being sold anywhere else aside from a fancy retail boutique. Sure, the internet makes buying through online jewelry stores a growing trend too, but wait till you see what this woman has created for her business idea.



Enter the jewelry vending machines created by Marla Aaron, which dispense fine gold jewelry straight from the unit. Aaron, whose carbiner shaped locket pendants have made her brand a popular choice for New York shoppers, has always loved the idea of curious vending machines ever since she saw them in Japan. The multitudes of colorful units dispensing all sorts of toys, drinks and utilities gave her the inspiration to bridge this high end market using a typically commercial-level mechanism.



The largely innovative and risky move seems to have caught the attention of publications like the New York Post and Vanity Fair, along with several others who have recently been amazed at the concept. Aaron quickly states that despite using a traditionally low-end medium of sales for her jewelry, her vending machine is not the same as the masses of others out there. With ordering done through a large touch-screen panel, and products dispensed pre-wrapped in signature gift boxes, her machines automate the ambience of luxury often expected of the industry.




It's interesting to note how this unique idea plays to the impulsive strengths of popular trends like instant gratification and fast-selling. It does however, seem to contradict the normally personal ambience you would usually expect from the jewelry industry, especially at the mid-to-high tiers of products (like branded 14k and 18k gold items).

The fine jewelry vending machines play a video sharing the brand's story with onlookers and buyers alike. Their entire item range of gold and silver accessories spans prices from 100 to 1500 US dollars, and makes sure that the return process is also easy for customers to choose, if by chance they decide to.

Remarkable changes are happening daily in the gemstone and jewelry trade. It's astounding to see such ideas being churned out from individuals and smaller brands, compared to the usual large-scale design houses. Concepts like this obviously target the younger generations, millennials and maybe quirky older folks, but you do have to wonder however, if a vending machine that dispenses jewelry will be accepted in the long term- as a luxury selling concept.