Chaumet Unveils Its Dazzling Diamonds, Naturally
Chaumet’s new high jewellery collection, Jewels by Nature, turns flora and fauna into fantasy. In Marbella, CEO Charles Leung explains why responsibility, storytelling – and tiaras at dinner – are the maison’s future
Under the Andalusian sky, Marbella’s Moorish, sprawling Villa El Bosque was transformed into the verdant stage for Chaumet’s latest high jewellery unveiling; Jewels by Nature. While candlelight flickered against terracotta walls, guests including Emilia Clarke, Natasha Poly and Saudi’s own Yara Alnamlah wandered through the mazed gardens, jewels catching the last glints of evening light. The atmosphere was quietly cinematic – a fitting backdrop for a collection that translates nature into brilliance.
Founded in 1780, Chaumet has always drawn its visual language from flora and fauna. With this collection, we saw the maison sharpen its voice, distilling its naturalism into 54 pieces in three beautiful chapters, Everlasting, Ephemeral, and Reviving. Each is threaded through with winged creatures – bees, butterflies, dragonflies – as if to remind us that jewellery, just like ecosystems, thrives on delicate interdependence.
Speaking to Charles Leung, Chaumet’s charismatic CEO, he was clear about the maison’s ambition. “I always think the brand is bigger than all of us. We are just here to
serve,” he shared over coffee at Marbella Club. “The world – and the customers – have changed a lot since Covid, and it’s important to maintain our authentic, sincere mission.”
For Charles, that means the maison strives for far more than just aesthetic gestures. “We are so inspired by nature, but what have we done for nature?” he posits. “We can’t save the world alone, but we can raise awareness – to tell a story that is compelling, to limit waste, and to pass on heritage with responsibility.
This philosophy underpins the collection. Everlasting plants such as bamboo and clover symbolise resilience; “Bamboo, clover, fern… these are all plants that can survive. This is the chapter that inspires us to be courageous and to keep on, no matter what,” Charles explains. Elsewhere, ephemeral blossoms tell us of the fleeting nature of beauty; “From time to time, these come back and remind us of the past, the passage of time, and that we have to cherish moments. This is what we’re taught by nature,” he continues. Thirdly, reviving species offer a whisper of hope. “We thought [these flowers] had become extinct, but miracles happened… a forgotten island, deep in a forest somewhere, we found them, and with the help of science, technology and human determination, they’re back in nature again. This is to tell us that if we wish so, there’s hope in nature. This is our story.”
Of course, no Chaumet collection would be complete without that quiet custodian of the ecosystem; the bee. A maison emblem since Napoleon, they hum through Jewels by Nature in seven brooches, their honeycomb claws set with stones from tourmaline to aquamarine. “Nature wouldn’t survive without these little friends. Bees are absolute heroes in the ecosystem, in nature, and at Chaumet.” Butterflies, too, appear in airy openwork, wings shimmering as if mid-flight. These are jewels in motion – poised between naturalism and fantasy. Among the standout parures, Wild Rose reimagines a 1922 tiara with a burst of fancy vivid yellow diamonds. The necklace, set with an 8.23-carat stone, can be worn three different ways – ingenuity that required almost 1,500 hours of craftsmanship. Oat & Field Star sings of virtuoso goldsmithing: yellow-gold oats sway against white-gold field stars set with yellow diamonds, a necklace assembled over 1,300 hours, with earrings that can be pared back – should you so wish, of course.
From the Ephemeral chapter, the Carnation parure is a vision in Chaumet blue – a hue in which no carnation naturally exists, we’re told. Its transformable necklace is crowned by a 36.44-carat Ceylon sapphire and draped in a supple mesh of sapphires that recalls couture. Meanwhile, in Reviving, the Magnolia Grandiflora blooms with a 5.26-carat diamond, its tiara designed to sit off – centre, like a bandeau. Archival elegance through a modern lens.
Speaking of modern, Chaumet’s eternal muse, Empress Joséphine is never far from the maison’s mind. “She was a daring, fashionable woman,” Charles explains. “We’re inspired by her audacity.” So what might she have chosen from the collection if she were to attend the launch gala? He smiles, “Well, she’s an Empress, so surely she would wear a tiara – but not alone. She loved flowers, so perhaps the Dahlia tiara and set. She could do that for her entrance, then excuse herself, remove all the flowers and wear them as brooches, coming back transformed!” he continues, excited at the thought. “Or maybe she’d be in the mood for something more exotic, like bamboo.”
It’s a pleasure hearing Charles speak about the brand; his enthusiasm both genuine and infectious. “The fact that jewellery is my first love helps,” he laughs. “So be careful what you fall in love with, because it could be fatal. ” We can think of worse ways to go
Images Supplied
From Harper’s Bazaar Arabia September 2025 Issue.