eep Time enters its second Chapter, amplifying this rich tale of geological legacy, transformational beauty and the interconnectedness of life. This is the fifth High Jewellery collection designed by Francesca Amfitheatrof, Artistic Director for Watches and Jewellery. “With this second Chapter of Deep Time, we continue the story of this most beautiful, poetic collection that symbolises a vast and incredible storyline,” says Amfitheatrof.
The voyage of Deep Time begins with geology and propels us to a time when our planet was populated by two supercontinents, Gondwana and Laurasia. The latter is now announced by exquisite yellow diamonds and contrasting metals, an Amfitheatrof signature. Seismic, apocalyptic evolutions transform the planet, inspiring Drift and a new dawn of life, which brings forth the multiplication of cells behind the sinuous DNA-like jewels of Myriad. This is followed by Symbiosis, a new theme in Deep Time, which is inspired by our planet’s first land-bound ecosystems, namely fungi and mycelium. Delicate, sumptuous jewels come to life in beautiful and feminine, pastel pink and purple spinels.
Life evolves from these symbiotic patterns towards Fossils, which flourishes into Plants. A more literal interpretation from Chapter I, Plants is embodied by a spectacular transformable necklace set with leaves that are crafted from over 400 custom-cut emeralds and diamonds, highlighting Louis Vuitton’s unparalleled jewellery-making savoir-faire. Skin is another new theme for Deep Time, and celebrates the Umba sapphire, whose distinct pink and orange tones are paired with pink gold in modern, graphic compositions. The suite sets the scene for Bones, Seeds and finally Flower, all which personify the sophistication and refinement of Deep Time’s final Chapter.
The two supercontinents of Gondwana and Laurasia mark our planet’s evolutionary origins, with Laurasia now celebrating yellow diamonds and a masterful blend of platinum, yellow and pink gold.
Just as Gondwana depicts the earth’s circular movement in a powerful and graphic, high-collar necklace, an Amfitheatrof signature, Laurasia features a seven-row masterpiece necklace punctuated by the Maison’s signature V motif. Requiring 2,465 hours to create, it is the most valuable jewel of this second Chapter.
An exceptional 5.02-carat emerald-cut yellow diamond is the centerpiece stone, complemented by 34 emerald-cut diamonds – its array subtly reminiscent of the Maison’s Damier motif – as a 3.11-carat LV Monogram Flower cut diamond and over 270 custom-cut diamonds further galvanize the design. An exquisite ring with a 3.02-carat yellow diamond is another master stone of the collection, while a striking triangle shape step-cut diamond tops a secret watch, a rare gem in Louis Vuitton High Jewellery.
Emerging from seismic meteorological events, the earth settles into a new geological age, ushering in a dawn of life. An all-powerful sun, energizing and invigorating, is celebrated in golden yellow sapphires, paired with strong, cut-out V motifs in classic and light, elegant designs. A single-strand necklace suits everyday wear, featuring a magnificent 30.47-carat octagonal step-cut sapphire glowing among the modern geometric motifs. There is a matching classic white gold bracelet, its graphic V’s again matching an octagonal 17.22-carat yellow sapphire from Sri Lanka.
Myriad is an embodiment of perpetual movement, where futuristic, hypnotic jewels take their cue from sinuous DNA and double-helix forms, touched with nods to key codes of the Maison. Echoing the brilliant white gold from Chapter I, the suite features a supple necklace and matching cuff fashioned from individual bejeweled nails that culminate in a spiraling, sensual wave, curving into a subtle V shape. A bejeweled rope entwines and cinches both pieces, adding femininity and fluidity while recalling the sturdy ropes that were historically used to transport the Maison’s trunks. Luminous and graceful, the suite also features a ring and several pairs of earrings, each set with LV Monogram Star cut diamonds nestled in a woven mesh of diamonds.
A new theme in this epic voyage, Symbiosis marks the emergence of early life forms on land, and the creation of our first organic ecosystems. The intricate forms of fungi and mycelium inspired Amfitheatrof, who was enthralled by their hidden connections and coordinated symbiosis. Spinels are at the heart of this theme, in ultra-feminine hues of pinks and purples but also pastel blue, the stones hailing from Vietnam and Tanzania. A stunning multi-strand necklace mimics nature’s marvels via clusters of spinels that are cut in various shapes and set in different heights for intrigue and volume.
Bombé pave diamonds topped by alternating LV Monogram Star cut diamonds further enrich the composition and proportions. A figurative interpretation of Symbiosis’s organic spirit and essence of life, the necklace required 1,381 hours of work and an extreme attention to detail; even the inside of the jewel is delicately crafted in the mushroom motif and only for the wearer to see. Symbiosis is rounded out by organic and fluid earrings and rings that likewise are set in clusters of spinels, diamonds and LV Monogram Star cut diamonds, which meet in a fantasy of light and harmonious beauty.
Deep Time’s theme of interconnectedness continues with Fossils, a suite of jewels that Amfitheatrof describes as “treasures of time and place, they’re an incredible way to map our planet’s geological changes”. In Chapter I, a spectacular three-strand necklace features a medley of tiny details and meticulous craftsmanship, including different types of stone settings and metal finishes, coupled with a mix of textures ranging from diamond-studded trellis and honeycomb motifs to the Maison’s iconic Damier pattern in white gold and diamonds. These minute details are embraced again in Chapter II, in more minimalist and classic creations. A single-strand necklace and matching bracelet, set with a 5.18-carat and 4.03-carat royal blue sapphire respectively, exude signature design codes like bi-color yellow and white gold. Meanwhile a bracelet is set with an impressive 10.56-carat royal blue sapphire that is perfectly designed to fit between two strands: one in the Damier pattern, the other in trellis.
Nature makes its rich and luscious mark on Deep Time with Plants, which in Chapter II takes on a more literal interpretation of verdant flora and fauna. Nature’s lush foliage comes to life in a resplendent necklace, a platinum and yellow gold vine emulating a sumptuous rolled scarf, and which comes topped with three spectacular leaves, two of which can be detached and worn as elegant brooches. Each leaf glows with a radiant vitality enhanced by a diamond-set V, and the jewel is a spectacular display of 302 custom-cut diamonds and 132 custom-cut Zambian emeralds, which exude a rare blue hue. A matching ring is set with an octagonal, step-cut 2.29-carat Zambian emerald flanked by two pear-cut diamonds. Meanwhile a more everyday necklace features a single leaf that’s set off-center, as 44 custom-cut rubies surround a 5.57-carat emerald.
Life flourishes and breaks new ground, with Skin exploring the unique connections that expand into life patterns, creating a woven geometry of the physical and natural world. Ultra-modern and graphic, and which recalls the skin of a snake but also the Maison’s Damier pattern, Skin is an ode to the Umba sapphire, which hails from Tanzania’s great Umba River and which gives the stones their unique orange and pink colors. In total, the suite features nearly 300 Umba sapphires, all which have been individually custom-cut as the layouts and designs dictate – from square and lozenges to baguette shapes. The Umba sapphires’ warm, golden tones are further enhanced by pink gold – the first time Amfitheatrof has dedicated a full High Jewellery theme to the metal. Their Lego-like, checkerboard design further enhances the suite’s unique color scheme. A necklace and matching bracelet embrace the body in bombé volumes and encasements, and is complemented by a standout ring and pair of delicate and refined ear cuffs.
Exalting both structure and movement, Bones is Deep Time’s homage to the architecture of humanity, and highlights geology’s link to life and form. Chapter I’s magnificent, extraordinary Bones necklace was the most complex necklace ever made in Louis Vuitton’s history: the bib-style jewel dangles with an intricate mesh of diamonds in various geometric cuts and set with opal, Paraiba tourmaline and tanzanites. That theme is echoed in Chapter II, embodied by an exquisite choker-style necklace featuring a layout of diamonds in alternating squares, rectangles and heights, and which culminate in a LV Monogram Star cut diamond and an enchanting 16.92-carat Australian opal. Delicate and feminine, the jewel is refined in its movement and visual energy. A second necklace is a graphic construction centered on a LV Monogram Star cut diamond and further fringed with around 100 custom-cut diamonds. The brilliant blend of white gold and custom-cut diamonds continues in a set of rings and a pair of standout, double-hoop ear cuffs, while a 3.84-carat oval fancy-cut Paraiba tourmaline tops a two-strand ring of over 240 diamonds.
Seeds is symbolic of the treasures of birth and evokes Deep Time’s embrace of nature’s beauty and evolution. Chapter II welcomes magnificent pearls, heralding new design territory and exploration. Evolving naturally from living organisms, pearls aptly channel Deep Time’s celebration of life, metamorphosis and transformational beauty. An elegant double-strand necklace pairs 43 luminous grey Tahitian pearls with a white gold band of nearly 1,200 diamonds. The generous, tubular form punctuates several themes in Deep Time, while its distinct pattern of cut-out kite motifs echoes a signature design code of the Maison. Graceful and feminine but strikingly graphic and modern, the necklace matches a bracelet that links 32 Tahitian pearls with over a thousand diamonds. Rounded, white gold tubes also entwine pairs of beautiful golden pearls in a set of earrings.
The first Chapter of Deep Time culminated in a bursting and golden, fuchsia bloom, and the same Flower theme is the magnificent conclusion to Deep Time’s epic tale. Exclusively set in white gold and white diamonds, Flower is a brilliant tribute to the Louis Vuitton Monogram, where the Star cut diamond is the budding heart of an intricate layout of sophisticated petals, each one individually crafted from baguette and round brilliant diamonds to fit the petals’ curved shape and reflect maximum light. The centerpiece necklace suspends a flower medallion from a splendid pave chain, the jewel set with over 1,300 diamonds including 90 custom-cut stones. Elegant and timeless, the suite also features a matching ring and pair of earrings, all which perfectly channel the refinement and sophistication that personifies this final Chapter of Deep Time.
“At Louis Vuitton we are as ever adventurers, traveling to extraordinary, unexpected places,” says Amfitheatrof. Chapter II is the epilogue of Deep Time, this immense and incredible voyage through time and space, this story of exceptional gemstones that propel us deep into the past, as Louis Vuitton’s strong and singular design codes launch us forward, towards the future.
