SOMEWHERE OVER THE RAINBOW

'The Shape of Colours', Hermès haute bijouterie collection, is a true technicolour dream.

- WINDY AULIA

For a House that is synonymous with a particular colour (read: orange), Pierre Hardy, the creative director of Hermès Jewellery, has fought shy of exploring the full spectrum of colours in jewellery, that is until now. This year, in an about turn, the House's latest haute bijouterie collection is unique, colourful and bold. And Hardy goes beyond the surface by delving into fractal and ray matters, the energy of light and even abstract expressions by reimagining the forms and shapes of certain shades.

Equestrian elements still undergird the design, but colour is the primary focus in each chapter of the collection. For example, a pair of earrings under the "Fresh Paint" chapter is playful with a trompe l'oeil effect; precious and semi-precious stones are crafted in gradation to give the earrings an impression of movement.

In the "Supracolor" chapter, a stunning one-of-a-kind necklace demonstrates the diffraction of light waves. Through the prism of rutilated quartz set with a dazzling triangle-cut diamond, the movement from black to white stones appears to be diffracted into a burst of brilliant colours, bringing to mind Pink Floyd's seminal album cover The Dark Side of the Moon.

Hardy's exploration of colours and shapes is further exemplified in the chapter "Are en Couleurs", where necklaces and bracelets appear undulating, gently flowing along with the body's movement. These articulated items with the remarkable gradient effect are the result of ingenious mesh work comprising nearly 1,400 stones.