Last week, Dior revealed the third and final instalment of its haute joaillerie collection inspired by the decadent palace of Versailles at couture. Dior à Versailles Pièces Secrètes collection designed by the artistic director of jewellery at Dior, Victoire de Castellane. It explores unseen facets of the icon of French art de vivre and reveals a secret Versailles, filled with private passageways and secret boudoirs.
This Dior à Versailles, Pièces Secrètes collection for 2018 is all about appearing as an ornate piece of jewellery at first glance, only to concealed wonders beneath it all, thanks to the intricately designed mechanisms, and variety of settings embedded within the design.
The inner sanctum of the château is where the stories and the passion behind these narrative and playful pieces unfolds: precious rotating stones, hidden drawers and miniature chests hide symbols including the sun, the clover, the bow and the heart, all relating to Monsieur Dior’s world.
Think cocktail rings with a gobstopper jewel that slides to reveal a tiny golden drawer; or a white-gold necklace with a pear-shaped diamond, finished with a bow that twists to expose a rather delicate, if ominous, skull. A bejewelled through-the-keyhole, if you will.
“I wanted to use chiaroscuro stones in shades of faded rose, reds verging on purple, iridescent moonstones and more intense sky blues. The colours themselves seem a little mysterious, like antique silks” – Victorie de Castellane –