Jewelry pieces all share that sparkly glow that draw people in. After all, it can be speculated that the desire to own beautiful things is something deeply embedded in us humans. Since the beginning, we have collected parts that we find comely and wanted to adorn them on our body, a practice that continues to this day. Only instead of animal bones, we now have precious gems, polished beautifully as ever, and meant to last for a long time.
This is a reason, besides the hefty price tag of course, we should be scrupulous when deciding to purchase a jewelry piece. They can capture your attention and be what you can use to put you under the spotlight, sure, but they also come instilled with more. They can symbolize emotions, as in love between two people who want a concrete token to remind them of their commitment to each other. Or maybe tradition, when pieces are passed from one generation to another. Regardless, one does not simply spend on a jewelry piece without much consideration, as it carries with it more significance than just beauty and social status.
If you’re set on buying one but is still scouring the Internet for opinion as one would do nowadays, then you’re on the right page as we’re giving a rundown of luxury jewelry brands you won’t regret spending money on. The following do not only have the most beautiful jewels your eyes will chance upon, but also have with them the mark of being the most trusted and worthy of your investment should you decide to take home with you a piece.
Jewelry Brands
Christian Dior had the goal of making women—a creation he thinks is the loveliest that God has bestowed upon the earth—feeling even more beautiful when he began his own eponymous label more than half a century ago. He has done that not only through haute couture gowns and glamorous frocks but also through jewelry, meant to complement the female form. His eponymous brand, Dior, has launched jewels modeled after blossoms, most especially roses which was the designer’s favorite flower, but not with a build as delicate as their inspiration. Even though Dior has long passed, his label and his jewelry live on, still evoking a jaw-dropping response among those who see the creations, especially women.
Mouawad has a long history behind it, with the label taking root in Beirut, Lebanon, where its namesake David Mouawad founded the company in 1891. Now a private Swiss and Emirati luxury jewelry company, Mouawad has been passed onto progeny, with Fred Mouawad, Pascal Mouawad and Alain Mouawad serving as its guardians. The high aim for the company has been unchanged since its creation: to create long-lasting pieces that double as works of art. The pieces it has produced are timeless and unlike any other, coming with air of romance and brilliance as well as backed with time-trusted jewelry making techniques.
If you want your jewelry brand to have the royal stamp of approval, then behold Asprey London, a British jeweler that has been awarded the royal warrant upon forming a relationship with Queen Victoria in the 19th century. The brand, founded in 1781, has since then become the jeweler of choice by many heads of state outside the United Kingdom, and their preference is completely justified. The pieces cut by Asprey are refined and beautiful, each creation made by hand with the rarest of stones and even employing other materials such as silver and crystal into the mix. Its bridal collections are a must-see, as well as its Asprey-cut diamond that also comes in different colors.
When you want your jewels to be bigger than life as they can be, then Graff is a brand you can give your trust to because it wants its jewelry to be just that: big and beautiful. It had humble beginnings in England, when Laurence Graff founded his own company in 1960 after the jewelry shop he was working for closed its doors. Besides expecting the best and elaborate cuts on its stones, Graff is also famous for buying and resetting the Lesotho Promise diamond and the Wittelsbach-Graff diamond, among others. With the brand finding its gems on royalty such as Princess Diana as well as Monaco’s Princess Charlene, it also adheres to the Kimberley process, a certification that guarantees its stones are acquired without harming the social situation and the environment.
Boucheron is a brand for the person who appreciates international cultures, because besides its hometown of Paris, France, the brand has also drawn influences from other places such as Africa and Asia. This has been translated through the collection that uses combinations of the elements, and rare and exceptional stones all around the world. Boucheron has sourced his gems all over, allowing his creations to evoke universal emotions as well as awe and wonder. Started in 1858 by Frédéric Boucheron, the brand has been also recorded as the first to merge gold with bronze and ivory.
Like Dior, Chanel is not exclusively a jewelry brand as it is more known for its designs that make classy dressers out of ladies as well as the memorable fragrance Chanel No. 5. But the French luxury fashion house has also created jewels meant to complement its garbs, among them pearls and sculptural diamonds. The jewelry are thought to fuse the masculine with the feminine, often a description applied in general to the French fashion sense which also makes Chanel gems suitable for men. Many beloved figures in cinema, such as Catherine Deneuve and Marilyn Monroe, have worn Chanel in their appearances.
British Annoushka Ducas is adept in translating emotions to jewelry pieces, as is the case when she created her own engagement ring after being dissatisfied with the choices available to her. Although she was already running Links of London, an esteemed jewelry brand she founded with her husband John Ayton, she thought of making pieces that would represent women’s unique experiences and emotions; hence, Annoushka. She has traveled all around the world to learn of their stories, as well as find the stones and metals that would allow her to retell them best. Annoushka is unrestrained in the use of color, which can come to signal glamor and playfulness in her pieces.
David Yurman is all-around American jewelry line, which namesake David founded with his wife Sybil Yurman in the 1980s. The duo are inspired by art as well as well architecture, which is evident in their collection. The bracelets with cable motif persist as the brand’s most famous pieces, but the design is also found in others such as necklaces and watches. To this day, the husband-wife duo retains a strong partnership, creating jewelry that are either plain or replete with gemstones and catering to the jewelry needs of star from the entertainment industry.
Besides being a renowned luxury brand brand, Piaget has also set its mark by being a remarkable jewelry maker. Founded by Swiss Georges Piaget in 1874, Piaget is among the most prestigious brands in the world. The pieces in its collections are known for drawing inspiration from the glamour of Old Hollywood, featured even in today’s red carpet events. The designer was particularly moved by roses, which is apparent in its most famous creation, the Piaget Rose collection.
Regardless of whether you spell it as Bvlgari or Bulgari, chances are, you’ve heard of this Italian brand for ages and are probably familiar with the way the brand is inscripted in its creations. Founded by Greek jeweler Sotirios Bulgaris who lends his name to the brand he created, Bvlgari has been a favorite for its pieces that feature vibrant colors, the cabochon cut and work with gold links and steel. Influenced by the Italian Renaissance and the heydays of the Roman and Greek empire, Bvlgari is also associated with Elizabeth Taylor, who is a fan of the brand.
The list so far has featured jewelry brands that work mostly with diamonds, but if you want a breather, then we’ll have it with Japanese brand Mikimoto. Mikimoto, founded in the 19th century by Mikimoto Kokichi, is the first to use cultured pearls in its collection. It is because of this and the patent it was awarded with that the Japanese company rose to fame, even becoming the first jeweler from the country to gain worldwide recognition. It is known to work only with the finest of pearls and letting its beauty shine through with simple designs, but occasionally there are also elaborate works such as the Mikimoto crowns that graced the Miss Universe pageants.
Van Cleef & Arpels may be a jeweler you’re familiar with if you’ve ever heard of its Mystery Set, which continues to astound and evoke wonder to this day. The French luxurious jewelry line was founded by Alfred Van Cleef and Estelle Arpels in 1896, and is known to showcase Old World elegance and class. The Mystery Set we mentioned before is a point of pride to the company because it is very intricate and wonderfully made that you can’t even discern how the stones are held up together. Patented in 1933, a Mystery Set piece takes up to 300 hours to make, so although it is still available today, only a few are released every year.
Tiffany & Co.
Among the most familiar names on the list, Tiffany & Co. has been an object of desire for many generations since its start in New York back in 1837. While it was first known for its work with silver, it expanded to gold and rare gems eventually, as well as to other destinations such as Paris and London. Each creation is made by an expert, rendering many hours and days to finish a jewelry piece. Audrey Hepburn is as much a fan as her iconic role Holly Golighty from Breakfast at Tiffany’s, but so is Elizabeth Taylor, Greta Garbo and Jacqueline Kennedy.
Chopard may ring a bell for its luxury watches, but the Swiss brand is also known all over for its work with precious stones. Started by Louis-Ulysse Chopard in the 1860, it catered to women’s tastes by creating wristwatches and pocket watches especially designed for them. It was the sold to Karl Scheufele in 1963 whose family continues to run the line. The brand uses the finest materials in its pieces, often working with 18-karat gold and highly graded gems. Its Happy Diamonds line is a memorable collection for its art deco-inspired design and gems that give an illusion of twirling and prancing.
The Roman jeweler Buccellati showcases the best of Italian elegance and design, using primarily Italian gold in its jewelry. Unlike others that feature mainly blooms, Buccellati’s creations are crafted after animal and insects such as dragonflies and beetles. The results are often elaborate pieces that take away the icky feelings often generally had for bugs and turn them into appealing jewelry. The brand’s work with Roman-styled jewelry are often featured in museum exhibitions and are coveted all around the globe.
Few people are deserving of the title “King of Diamonds” as Harry Winston. Creating a company he named after himself in 1932, he and his name has been associated with elegance and high style as he was often working with influential people and celebrities. Diamonds are prominent in his collection, thus the moniker, but the work on other stones can also be considered as fine art pieces. Although Winston has passed away a long time ago, his creations have lingered true to their claim of longevity, and his company continues to create even more.
The list is unordered, so even if you find Cartier last on the list, it is not reflective of its influence and prominence in the industry. In fact, it may even be more of a household name than most of the companies we’ve listed so far, and is also kept at the dwellings of royalty across the world. The French jewelry company was founded in 1847 by Louis François Cartier, and now has stores beyond its headquarters in Paris. Although the collection is not lacking in remarkable feats on diamonds and platinum, the brand is most famous for its Panthère design which first started with a brooch, and is included in many of the designs it releases each year.
Even though jewelry pieces are things of beauty, they cannot be depreciated to simply objects because they usually carry with them a lot more meaning, commitment and family among them. We understand completely why purchasing isn’t something you impulsively do, even when you have the means to do so. When you don’t know where to begin, the brands that have been listed guarantee beauty, quality and durability, so you know you can never go wrong with them. Not only could their pieces bring you a notch higher in the social ladder, they can make any recipient happy and in awe, whether they serve as a gem that binds romantic love or as inheritance.
