Until Boucheron did it, no one imagined that rock crystal could ever be paired with diamonds. That was over a hundred years ago. Likewise, until Boucheron’s Contemplation and Holographique collections, no one would think that futuristic technology could ever play a starring role in the high jewellery world.
Or, in its Ailleurs collection, rattan and pebbles. But even with such an eclectic portfolio of avant-garde creations, no one could have predicted Boucheron will one day base an entire capsule collection around an industrial waste product that is essentially vitrified asbestos.
Redefining what is precious, the Jack de Boucheron Ultime collection features Cofalit, which isn’t useful for much else apart from highway embankments, and is deemed completely unrecyclable.
Despite that, Boucheron’s creative director Claire Choisne sees beauty and value in its hardened, intense blackness, turning the conventional notion of preciousness and luxury on its head.
“I took inspiration from the fact that this material is deemed to have no further utility. I wanted to restore its value in a lasting way through this capsule collection,” she explains.
So once again Boucheron’s R&D department joined hands with its jewellery craftsmen to shape, cut, and polish Cofalit, transforming it from raw material to a glistening mineral-like fine finish.
This series of processes took Boucheron months to perfect for this three-piece capsule collection, but everyone will forever remark upon the maison’s tangible efforts in creating meaningful and creative jewellery for a more sustainable future.
