Exceptional Pieces
Made for the Modern Woman
The inspirations behind a bespoke piece of jewellery are as varied as they are personal, but for Ms. W*, a cherished client and longtime friend of the Maison, with a growing collection of bespoke creations, this particular cocktail ring was inspired by a chance encounter with an exceptional stone.
*Pseudonym, for the purpose of discretion
"Jewellery has a way of finding you, not the other way around, but you have to be open to the process," says Ms. W. The inspiration for her bespoke cocktail ring found her at a Bucherer Fine Jewellery event at the Bürgenstock Resort, on the picturesque Lake Lucerne. It was there that she discovered the Maison’s assortment of cocktail rings, a collection within its high jewellery portfolio, as well as an exceptional stone set that included a central 16.6 ct morganite.
The origins of the cocktail ring date back to the Prohibition era, when a new wave of independent women wore them to draw attention while holding their then-illegal alcoholic drinks. These rings thusly became symbols of glamour, rebellion, and a modern vision of femininity. Very much the modern woman herself, Ms. W was enchanted by the history of the design. "It’s a strong statement piece for strong women. For me, jewellery is all about stories, and this story spoke to me," she explains.
As far as the morganite, it was love at first sight: “I felt an immediate connection to this stone, but I was unsure about the others in the set,” she recounts. A woman of precise vision and strong convictions, she decided to embark on a bespoke collaboration with the Maison, setting in motion a year-long process to find the perfect stones that would do justice to the marvellous morganite.
I can confidently say that each stone is like a different point of emotional contact.
“For me, jewellery is about joie de vivre and fulfilment. It’s not about just going somewhere to buy something. It shouldn’t be rushed. Jewellery is about positive emotions, and because we took our time, I can confidently say that each stone is like a different point of emotional contact,” says Ms. W.
This intimate relationship with her jewellery is perhaps the reason Ms. W continues to come back to Bucherer Fine Jewellery to bring her ideas to life. “You can go in many stores and find nice jewellery, but coming to Bucherer is an emotional experience. You can feel that it was a family-owned company. You can feel that spirit through the employees and inside the stores you visit,” she says.
In the end, there are 21 emotions shining in this ring—22, if you count the central morganite. The surrounding stones include 15 round and oval spinels (15.0 ct), 4 oval morganites (6.7 ct), and 2 oval sapphires (1.6 ct), all set in four-prong settings.
For Ms. W, the path from inspiration to creation to collection is one guided by serendipity and perhaps forces larger than one’s own intentions. It was not long after the ring was finished that she embarked on another bespoke creation, a pair of earrings to complement her ring, which just so happened to perfectly match a bracelet from the Maison’s Peekaboo collection.
History repeated itself when, more recently, Ms. W’s daughter came across a cocktail ring from the Maison’s permanent collection. Despite her more discreet tastes, the connection to the piece was undeniable. “The ring found her at a time when she was a bit, let’s say, ‘sleepy,’ and it woke her right up. It was a very special moment. I get goosebumps just thinking about it… It was very emotional,” confides Ms. W.
When listening to Ms. W speak of her jewellery collection and the inner world these pieces represent, gratitude is one of the emotions that stands out the most. “We must be thankful that these pieces and stones find us and that we are in a position to appreciate them. Everything we take from the earth is borrowed, and at a certain moment, we will give everything back, but the feelings held in these stones will live on forever.”
