By Frances Hopes
Lydia Courteille’s awe-inspiring new collection, called Un Automne a Pekin (Autumn in Peking), is inspired by the ancient Chinese philosophy of Feng Shui. Populated with motifs of grasshoppers, frogs, dragons and fish, each animal and even its position on each jewel brings a different meaning to the wearer, including luck, wealth, prosperity and longevity.
Architecture, textiles and the clothing from this ancient culture are also abundant in Lydia’s latest collection. Symbols found on ancient pottery, such as rebuses of bats flying through peach trees – symbolising wealth and prosperity since bats represent good fortune in Chinese culture – are re-interpreted in her stunning tiara, which can also be transformed into a statement necklace.
This collection is defined by Lydia’s use of ice jade – transparent white jade that features in most of the jewels in this collection, demonstrating that jade comes in a range of colours beyond the well-known green and lavender.
Scientist, collector, gemmologist and traveller, but at heart an antique jewellery dealer, Lydia started to create more than ten years ago, conjuring up more than 30 collections so that she could share her passions, knowledge and creativity with her clients.
A free spirit, her humour and audacity know no limits; provocation is never far away from her extraordinary imagination. Mysterious symbols, archaeology from the distant past, flora and fauna are all part of her intoxicating mix. Her jewels are nevertheless wearable and her tiaras noble in style.
