In 2020, Louis Vuitton acquired the world’s then largest modern rough diamond. The 1,758-carat stone hailed from Botswana and was aptly christened Sewelô, meaning “rare find” in the Setswana language.
The purchase of that massive stone, which Louis Vuitton showcased around the world – from Place Vendôme, the centre of jewellery in the heart of Paris, to Dubai and Singapore – was a sign of the maison’s lofty ambitions in the rarefied world of high jewellery.
Long dominated by heritage jewellers such as Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels and Bulgari, high jewellery is the pinnacle of jewellery making. Think one-of-a-kind pieces made with the rarest of stones and often requiring months, if not years, of craftsmanship.
The Conquest necklace from Louis Vuitton’s Mythica collection recalls the shape of arrows. Photo: Handout
Louis Vuitton established its high jewellery department in 2008, and has since been developing high jewellery and relatively more accessible fine jewellery collections to cater to the top echelon of its clientele – one percenters who can afford much more than the label’s signature leather goods, trunks and ready-to-wear.
As a household luxury brand with a relatively short history in jewellery, Louis Vuitton quickly realised that to make an impact in the competitive category, it had to offer creations that were distinctive and unmistakably Louis Vuitton in character.
In 2022, the maison unveiled the so-called LV Monogram Star cut, also known as the LV cut in jewellery circles. Shaped like the maison’s four-pointed monogram flower, which has adorned Louis Vuitton bags and accessories for more than a century, the diamond has 53 facets and often appears as the centrepiece in the brand’s rings and necklaces.
A pair of earrings featuring the LV Monogram Star cut, from the Mythica collection. Photo: Handout
The LV cut is also a recurring motif in Louis Vuitton’s high jewellery collections, unveiled every spring in glamorous destinations that over the last decade have ranged from Prague to Capri, Mallorca and Saint Tropez.
These intimate and lavish events – where international media and top clients are invited to experience the creations first hand in beautiful settings – reflect Louis Vuitton’s serious push into high jewellery.
