In an age of global everything, luxury aficionados distinguish themselves with objects you can’t find on every street corner or in every jewellery salon. For another, such unexpected combinations are likely to resonate with the rising number of jewellery clients seeking pieces that are both singular and subtle. Why the sudden rush to explore unconventional materials? For one thing, the industry’s most directional designers derive their creative mojo from challenging the status quo. Likewise, at Boucheron, stones such as malachite, citrine and heliodor beryl were the stars of several high-jewellery designs, rather than supporting players.

Their presence alongside sapphires and diamonds gave depth and contrast to the jewels’ expressive multi-coloured palette. Case in point: Cartier employed rutilated quartz, matrix opal and lapis lazuli – stones not often seen in vaunted high-jewellery salons – for pieces in its Magnitude high jewellery collection.

Even big-name high- jewellery collections have recently begun to dive deeper into the universe of options beyond the precious gems and metals that usually dominate the category. These are our top picks in the jewellery categoryįor the most imaginative of jewellery designers, inspiration is no longer confined to traditional materials: gold, platinum, diamonds and such. In this year’s Best of the Best 2020 awards, we recognise the brands that have pushed boundaries in design and innovation, and those that have made significant contributions to alleviate the pandemic.

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