An Icon Immortalised

Only a perfume as rich, unrivalled and mysterious as the century-old Chanel No 5 can inspire such a monumental high jewellery collection, writes Allyson Klass.

- Allyson Klass

Created by perfumer Ernest Beaux and Gabrielle Chanel in 1921, the first “perfume for women with the scent of a woman” – featuring a complex blend of aldehydes and florals layered over warm, sensuous base notes of vetiver, amber and vanilla – caused a sensation. Featuring a combination of the singular modernity of the fragrance, purity of a minimalist bottle and the mystery of its name, Chanel No 5 was revolutionary.

Then in 1932, Mademoiselle Chanel broke the codes of French high jewellery with Bijoux de Diamants, her first and only collection in platinum and diamonds that introduced new ways of wearing jewellery. To commemorate the 100th anniversary of the famed perfume, Patrice Leguéreau, director of Chanel Fine Jewellery Creation Studio, melded the two realms to realise the Collection No 5, the first high jewellery collection dedicated to a fragrance.

At the zenith of this 123-piece collection is the stupendous 55.55 white gold and diamond necklace. Embodying the spirit of the fragrance, an exceptional 55.55-carat custom-cut diamond crafted in its honour graces the centre of this unique creation that showcases the silhouette of the No 5 flacon.