Milena Lazazzera

Brands see commercial opportunities in shifting from the summer and winter focal points of the calendar

Exhibitions, commissioning local artists and educational ventures are gaining currency with consumers

The chief executive of the smallest jeweller in the LVMH stable talks about making an impact with limited resources

Last March, Verda Alaton, founder of fashion jewellery brand Tohum, was ready to ship two exclusive collections to a UK online retailer that had become a cornerstone of her business. The brand had paid for all the materials and the services of the workshops involved in production. Alaton was sure her invoice would be settled within a few months, because the retailer was a trusted partner that had been instrumental in the success of her popular Cowrie necklaces. That same day, though, Matchesfa…

The Roman god Janus, with his two faces looking in opposite directions, aptly represents the duality of the jewellery market: one-of-a-kind fine jewellery pieces with sky-high price tags (typically above £80,000) for wealthy buyers, and accessible items often under £1,000 for aspirational clients. But, now, a new focus is emerging somewhere between these extremes: mid-priced jewellery, ranging from £10,000 to £100,000. In April last year, during Milan Design Week, Cartier introduced its new Tre…

From Cardi B’s sprawling gown, which required nine handlers to help the singer up the stairs, to Colman Domingo’s caped white suit, there was a lot to parse in this year’s Met Gala looks. But the horologically inclined might have been transfixed by the vintage Piaget timepiece — a white-gold watch with a green malachite dial — that Lil Nas X chose to accessorise his crystal-encrusted white ensemble. The rapper is one of several male celebrities who are embracing small, dainty, gem-encrusted wat…

At Tiffany & Co’s flagship store in London, a sales assistant demonstrates how the case of a watch from the HardWear collection can be removed from its chain-style strap, so the bracelet can be worn on its own as a piece of jewellery. By adding another chain, the watch can be styled as a double wrap around the wrist, around the neck — as a pendant or choker — or even worn in the hair. The piece’s versatility reflects the revived trend of wearing watches in different ways, as demonstrated by cel…

Last December, Chanel picked an unlikely spot for its annual Métiers d’Art show: Manchester, England. The Parisian family-owned group said the city was chosen because of its role in pop culture and music history. But the fact that Manchester is also a wealthy city — second only to London in gross domestic product per head — might have also been a contributing factor in picking the next location for one of its most popular events. Store openings and events in so-called second- and third-tier cit…

A few weeks after launching its latest timepieces at this year’s Watches and Wonders trade fair in Geneva, Montblanc had another presentation in store. This time, clients were shown seven High Artistry pens with prices up to more than $1mn. They came from the Richemont-owned brand’s collection of limited edition writing instruments inspired by the Orient Express train. Introduced in 2016, these High Artistry pens are embellished with diamonds, precious gems and enamelling details, and are also…

Next month, the Louvre in Abu Dhabi will host the 40th monographic exhibition of Cartier jewellery titled Cartier, Islamic Inspiration and Modern Design — the third after those in Paris and Dallas focusing on Cartier and Islamic art, but with additional documents and items resulting from the house’s continuous research. The number and pace of such jewellery exhibitions in museums and galleries has increased since the end of pandemic-related restrictions. Last summer, Tiffany & Co had a 400-piec…