Deep Vision

In an exclusive interview with Tatler, Francesca Amfitheatrof, artistic director of watches and jewellery at Louis Vuitton, unveils the mystique behind the maison's largest high jewellery collection to date, Deep Time, and shares her bold vision for the future of the high jewellery world 

- Ahy Choi

It was early summer and tourists were starting to fill every corner of Athens. Visiting historic monuments across the ancient city, you’re guaranteed to experience its enduring beauty and history. This is part of the reason Louis Vuitton unveiled its fifth high jewellery collection, its most ambitious to date, here in the cradle of one of the oldest civilisations.

“The Deep Time collection is a story born out of understanding the birth of our planet,” explains Francesca Amfitheatrof, the maison’s artistic director of watches and jewellery. Gemstones are a natural creation of the Earth. Some, such as diamond and zircon, were formed deep within the Earth and later erupted to the surface through volcanic activity. Others, like topaz, tourmaline and aquamarine, formed slowly from hot fluids and gases as they cooled and solidified deep beneath the planet’s surface. As Amfitheatrof sees it, this process creates an “imprint” of where we come from. Visiting Greece is like revisiting our origins, and understanding how they have contributed to shaping who we are today.

Amfitheatrof ’s impressive CV includes being the first female design director of Tiffany & Co. She led that storied jeweller’s success in the 2010s, her ultra-contemporary design philosophy combining with boundary-breaking collaborations to mark a new chapter in the industry. Her appointment as artistic director of watches and jewellery at Louis Vuitton in 2018 signalled a new era for the maison. With her bold, adventurous approach to jewellery design, her work quickly made a big impact despite the brand’s relatively young presence in the long-established, rarefied field.