Sandra‘s Closet

Every second year, the Biennale des Antiquaires takes place in Paris in the gorgeous halls of the Grand Palais. Whenever I look at its sinuous, cast-iron Art Nouveau balconies and curlicue stairways, I feel like being in another century. Personally speaking, it is one of the most fascinating places in the French capital and I couldn’t imagine a better backdrop for the most important event in the jewelry calendar. I was invited by Piaget as in 2012 (for the previous post, please click here) and was able to discover the house’s amazingly beautiful EXTREMELY PIAGET collection firsthand.

For the 27th edition of the Biennale des Antiquaires, interior designer Jacques Grange paid homage to Versailles and its French gardens with flowerbeds and foliage. The most stunning part was the scented indoor fountain in the center under the gigantic glass dome that master perfumer Francis Kurkdjian had transformed into an olfactory experience.

At the Piaget booth, I indulged in the most stunning High Jewellery pieces you can imagine. This year, Piaget is celebrating its 140th anniversary and to celebrate this occasion, the company seeked inspiration for its EXTREMELY PIAGET collection from its stellar period in its creative history from the 1960s and 70s. The pieces are enhanced by the most precious materials: diamonds, emeralds, sapphires, hard stones and gold.

The collection is also characterized by great freedom of movement and multiple ways of beings worn. Personally speaking, it was the youngest and most modern collection at the Biennale des Antiquaires this year. You could easily imagine to wear it to a black tie gala or with jeans and a white tee like for example this beautiful bracelet with turquoises from Arizona above.

Let me show you my favorite pieces of the 125 that were presented:

Necklace in 18k white gold set with 46 turquoise beads (approx. 301cts), 48 chrysoprase beads (approx. 42cts), 1 emerald-cut cabochon (approx. 23.14cts), per-shaped chrysoprases, pear-shaped turquoises and brilliant-cut diamonds.

Sautoir exceptional High Jewellery watch in platinum set with 195 marquise-cut diamonds (approx. 66.20 cts), 282 brilliant-cut diamonds (approx. 33.20 cts), 35 cushion-cut diamonds (approx. 16.30 cts) and 16 pear-cut diamonds (approx. 7.60 cts).  Piaget 56P quartz movement.

Necklace in 18K white gold set with 84 blue sapphire beads from Sri Lanka(approx. 127.40 cts), 490 brilliant-cut diamonds (approx. 41.69 cts) and 1 cushion-cut emerald from Columbia(approx. 19.39 cts).

Sautoir watch fishnet mesh in 18K white gold set with 404 brilliant-cut diamonds (approx. 31.30 cts).  Piaget 56P quartz movement.

Bracelet in 18K pink gold set with 8 pink opal plates (approx. 23.25 cts), 18 turquoise beads (approx. 5.31 cts) and 220 brilliant-cut diamonds (approx. 1.81 cts).

Cuff watch in 18K white gold set with 1’699 brilliant-cut diamonds (approx. 20.50 cts) (snow-setting). Natural opal dial. Piaget 56P quartz movement.

Ear cuffs in 18K white gold set with 28 marquise-cut diamonds (approx. 11.59 cts) and 20 brilliant-cut diamonds (approx. 4.48 cts).

Ring with a sapphire (approx. 7 cts) and 10 diamonds in pear cut and 2 marquise diamonds (approx. 7.5 cts together).

I fell not only in love with this piece… The EXTREMELY PIAGET collection marks the continuity of the brand’s presence in the world of High Jewellery. The 1960s and 70s were some of their most innovative years – and the same is true of 2014. Congratulations, Piaget, for this amazing collection!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

Together with Piaget, I hosted a very special evening called “Soirée de la Couture Précieuse” at the Swiss brand’s store on Bahnhofstrasse in Zurich this month. I invited a small circle of friends that also enjoy the beauty of outstanding high jewelry creations.

Piaget‘s enchanting couture collection, first presented at the Biennale des Antiquitaires in 2012, was flown in from Paris on this special occasion. It was a true feast for all senses. While we were enjoying a gourmet dinner by Marco Pfleiderer at the large festive table in the middle of the shop, models presented the finest and most precious jewels, an ode to femininity and seduction. Later, we were able to explore the different facets by trying the pieces ourselves.

If you need a last minute inspiration for a Christmas gift, here you go. To find out more about the Couture Précieuse collection, I kindly invite you to read this previous post with all the details.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Pascal Pazanda

I would like to dedicate the first day of 2013 to a flashback of 2012. It was such an exciting year for me and I am truly thankful for all the magic moments I was able to experience and share with you. May 2013 bring us as many adventures and fashionable events as 2012 did.

Thanks for following me!

LoL, Sandra

JANUARY 2012

The year started with my visit to the fourth edition of Luisa Via Roma’s Firenze 4 Ever. As usual I had a lot fun, for example having dinner at the church, and adopted the Emilio Pucci Pug Dog for Happy Kids. It had been my third time at Firenze 4 Ever.

Then, I went to Paris for the Haute Couture shows and celebrated with Mary Katrantzou the launch of her amazing collaboration with Longchamp at Colette. Another highlight of 2012’s first month was the IWC Top Gun Gala held during the SIHH where I met lots of celebrities.

FEBRUARY 2012

In February, I flew to the Fashion Week New York where I walked in my first runway show, Polyvore Live. I went to many fashion shows, spotted celebrities such as Olivia Palermo, Bradley Cooper and attended the Fashion 2.0 Awards plus the Bloglovin’ Awards.

After coming back from NYC, I had around 24 hours to repack and left for Paris with Dior for my photo shoot for the launch of Dior Addict Extrême.

Later this month, I accepted Gucci‘s invitation to see the F/W 2012 show, followed by a trip to Florence to visit the manufacture.

MARCH 2012

March started with Paris Fashion Week. Spotted on the streets, bloggers and editors wearing the veiled beanie designed by Stephen Jones for Jil Sander. The sun was shining already and I wore my first summery outfits like this one by Emilio Pucci.

In the end of the month, I flew to London to meet the American designer duo Kaufmanfranco at the net-à-porter offices along with jewelry designer Diane Kordas.

APRIL 2012

April marked the Diamond Jubilee of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. A good reason to fly again to London. As it was Easter break, I took my daughter on a girls’ trip.

In my luggage, of course, all of my Union Jack-inspired must-haves. A lot fun for every fashionista: Having Prêt-à-PorTea at the Berkeley.

MAY 2012

Being on the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival was truly one of the biggest highlights of the year. The night of the Chopard Trophée was outstanding. The most memorable part: A private performance of Lana Del Rey.

A wonderful trip to the Lausanne Palace & Spa finished off this amazing month perfectly. I indulged in the world of Roja Dove’s Haute Parfumerie and enjoyed a feast for senses at La Table d’Edgar.

JUNE 2012

June was a busy month. I started for one day in Paris for the launch of Pleats Please by Issey Miyake. Then, the Art Basel took place. My favorites: Montblanc‘s party to celebrate the 10th anniversary of their Cutting Edge Art Collection together with Parisian art gallery Perrotin and Galerie Gmurzynska’s private dinner held with Zaha Hadid for the start of the Art Basel.

Later in June, I went on my road trip through the US with stops in Chicago, Denver and Salt Lake City. I drove all the way through Wyoming to Mount Rushmore, South Dakota, survived a hail storm and visited the Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah.

JULY 2012

July was such a relaxing month that I spent mostly in Maui, Hawaii followed by a short trip to Texas before heading home to Switzerland. Just a few days later, I flew to Munich for the launch of Bobbi Brown’s newest book Pretty Powerful.

AUGUST 2012

In August, I flew quite a lot to Germany for work and Sandra’s Closet reached 40.000 Facebook likes (By the way, today we are close to 75.000 likes, how amazing is this in this short amount of time?!).

An absolute highlight were the St. Moritz Art Masters where I had the honour to be photographed by Amedeo M. Turello and Steve McCurry, two of the most famous photographers in the world. The results will be posted soon.

SEPTEMBER 2012

September was one of the busiest months of the year. For me, it started with the Venice Film Festival. I was invited by Gucci for the launch of Gucci Première and was so excited to meet with the face of the campaign, Blake Lively. Right after, I had the photo shoot for Swiss News.

In Zurich, I met perfumer Geza Schön during a lunch over the rooftops of the Swiss city. With Dior, I attended the Zurich Film Festival.

With Piaget, I went to the Biennale des Antiquaires in Paris and visited the famous Château de Malmaison. Just a few days later, I flew back to the French capital for Fashion Week. Best party: Anna Dello Russo’s Paradise Ball. Favourite shows: Pascal Millet and Jean Paul Gaultier.

OCTOBER 2012

The first days of the month, I was still in Paris for Fashion Week and attended blockbuster shows such as Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Valentino and Miu Miu.

Later, I flew to Hamburg to visit the Montblanc headquarters and worked on the creation of my Bespoke Limited Edition Ink “Sandra Berry” that was launched in the end of the year. Another exciting collaboration with Closed was revealed: My limited edition blogger “Zurich” T-shirt.

Then, I left for New York City for the best party of the year: The launch of Maison Martin Margiela with H&M where I spotted celebrities such as Julianne Moore, Chase Crawford and Sarah Jessica Parker.

The last days of the month, I went to Geneva to visit the Chopard headquarters in Meyrin.

NOVEMBER 2012

Another busy month that started with the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Days Zurich. November marked a lot of events on Zurich‘s social agenda, such as the opening of the Rolex boutique and the Moncler store.

I flew to Greece with Hermès and hosted the exclusive Caviar & Oyster collection dinner with Bobbi Brown at my house.

DECEMBER 2012

Such an exciting month for me as my Montblanc Bespoke Limited Edition Ink “Sandra Berry” has been finally launched.

I went to Gstaad with Louis Vuitton for the opening of their new store in the Swiss Alps and flew to Doha, Qatar for New Year’s Eve.

My visit to the Biennale des Antiquaires last week was absolutely amazing. I was surrounded by outstanding beauty, extraordinary antiques and exquisite jewelry. Karl Lagerfeld has staged, decorated and created the visuals for the event as well as the backdrop. And being such a talented artist, he came up with a temporary world within the Grand Palais (the home of his Chanel shows) that was as beautiful as the thousands of objects d’art.

My look: Structured tuxedo jacket by Balmain, floral and cherub-print dress by Dolce & Gabbana, flap-over zip bag by Tom Ford, Rockstud suede and leather ankle boots by Valentino, cuff by Céline, Lady Excalibur watch by Roger Dubuis, Diorette earrings and ring by Dior Haute Joaillerie plus Velvet de Luxe 66 tights by Wolford.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

For its second participation in the Biennale des Antiquaires in Paris, the House of Piaget completely developed and crafted in-house, the new Couture Précieuse collection that pays homage to feminine beauty. It was such a pleasure, a true feast for the eyes, to see those magnificent high jewelry creations.

I absolutely loved the decor of the booth. David Downton, famous fashion illustrator and confidant of the world of Haute Couture, created eight sketches immortalising some of the models presented by Piaget. His work that is involving the use of gouache, acrylic paint and Indian ink, created splendid showcases for the jewelry sets.

The Couture Précieuse collection was inspired by three different motifs:

Radiant Laces:
The jewelry sets borrow from the field of corsets and ribbons and celebrate the beauty of feminine curves.

Diamond Embroidery:
Piaget dresses the skin with diamonds, as light and vaporous as a breath of air. Like sumptuous lace or stunning guipure dresses, the creations reveal the smoothness of a glimpse of skin beneath golden fabric and stones.

Magnificent adornments:
In these elegant and refined models, Piaget draws its inspiration from men’s dress suits, with the precious “brandebourg” motifs.

The quintessence of seduction is embodied in a sumptuous necklace embroidered with gold filaments and diamonds. Its entirely openwork, articulated structure makes it look like lace. This centrepiece of the collection is made in the same way as a Haute Couture dress, on the bias and finished with a smooth cut. It took more than 800 hours of work to create.

Gorgeous Embroidery Necklace (Ref.  G37LJ938)
White gold with 1513 brilliant-cut diamonds (44.19 ct), 133 baguette-cut diamonds (16.77 ct), 11 rose-cut diamonds (5.96 ct) and 4 pear-shaped diamonds (7.55 ct).

And the absolute star of the show is the necklace inspired by a traditional fan which merely hints at what its wearer wishes to reveal. The contrast between a delicate central rubellite motif and the finely fashioned net motif on the fan creates a transparent play on light and shade. Each of the fan sections was separately crafted being assembled, and which looks as if it is ready to open and close with the next passing breeze.

Fan Temptation Necklace (Ref.G37LJ240)
White gold with 728 brilliant-cut diamonds (47.13 ct), 5 pear-shaped rubellites (10.95 ct) and 1 cushion-cut rubellite (20.95 ct).

A re-edition of a vintage 1970s model, the cuff-watch is inspired by knit dresses. Its bracelet highlights the historical expertise of the chainmaker-jewelers of the House of Piaget. Gold is hand twisted, knit and formed into a mesh entirely by hand, much like the work of a fashion couturier. This provides an opportunity to emphasise the know-how of the Piaget artisans who, after patiently fitting each gold link on very tiny pins, give rise to these wonderfully supple and unique gold fabrics. It is a real nod to Piaget’s of the 1970s.

Gold Chain Cuff Watch (Ref. G0A38211)
White gold (189.5 g), Calibre 56P, Piaget Quartz movement
400 brilliant-cut diamonds (1.9 ct), diamond-paved dial and white gold bracelet

Personally speaking, my three favourite pieces are the ones below. I have especially fallen for the Lace Mystery Necklace. Its shape enhances the feminine curves of the body and draws all eyes to its dazzling brilliance. It is such a sensual piece of jewelry that could transform every evening gown in seconds to show-stopping appearance.

Lace Mystery Necklace (Ref. G37LM942)
White gold, 303 brilliant-cut diamonds (24.43 ct), 1 pear-shaped diamond (0.53 ct), 30 pear-shaped rubellites (7.34 ct), 29 round rubellites (6.03 ct), 50 round pink sapphires (4.17 ct) and 1 pear-shaped rubellite (10.61 ct).

Sublime Embroidery Earrings (Ref. G38LK800)
White gold with 378 brilliant-cut diamonds (4.44 ct).

Splendid Embroidery Necklace
White and pink gold  with 2395 brilliant-cut diamonds (24.54 ct), 10 square-cut diamonds (2.03 ct), 5 marquise-cut diamonds (2.21 ct), 1 triangle-cut diamond (0.09 ct), 1 pear-shaped diamond (1.50 ct), 1 cabochon pink sapphire (0.86 ct), 146 round pink sapphires (14.21 ct) and 3 pear-shaped pink sapphires (8.19 ct).

Seeing all the craftsmanship that has gone into those outstanding creations, it makes you appreciate the work even more. Stay tuned for more beautiful pictures from the Biennale des Antiquaires 2012.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht, Making of Photos: Courtesy of Piaget

Tuesday afternoon, I arrived in Paris for the city’s famous and oldest antiques fair, the Biennale des Antiquaires, at the Grand Palais which takes places from September 14 to 23, 2012. I am invited by Piaget and totally excited to be here.

For the 26th edition of the Biennale, designer Karl Lagerfeld has been decorating and creating the visuals for the event, plus a contemporary world within the Grand Palais. The exhibition will take place at the main part as well as in “Le Salon d’Honneur”.

This was my look on the arrival day:
Silk blouse and cardigan by Prada, wide wool pants by Stella McCartney, ankle boots by Fendi, Monogram Aviator bag from Louis Vuitton‘s Pre-fall 2010 collection, statement necklace by Roberto Cavalli and Diorette ring by Dior Haute Joaillerie.
On my nails: Dominatrix by Tom Ford.

On the first evening, we had dinner at Hotel Costes. Stay tuned for many beautiful photos coming up from my stay in Paris.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

The 26th Biennale des Antiquaires runs from 14th September to the 23rd at the Grand Palais in Paris and alongside the world’s most exclusive antique and art dealers are ten of the most desirable jewelers including Boucheron, Chanel, Cartier, Chanel, Dior, Harry Winston, Piaget, Van Cleef and Arpels, and for the first time ever Bulgari and from China Wallace Chan.

All of these houses create their most refined jewels for this event which is the most important show of its kind. One collection has already caught my eye: “Couture Précieuse” by Piaget with which the famous jeweler renews its homage to feminine beauty and celebrates its second participation in the Biennale des Antiquaires. Once again, Piaget affirms its style with strength and elegance, dressing women in watches and jewelry that are as spectacular as they are exceptional, epitomising the veritable secrets of seduction.

My dream piece: The laces inspired cuff watch in white gold and diamonds sculpts the wrist like a wasp waist. The Fine Jewelry laces, some set with brilliant-cut diamonds and other with baguette-cut diamonds, cross over and intertwine. An ode to elegance, the beauty of this piece reveals another treasure – a watch enabling its wearer to check the time discreetly on the inside of the wrist – another expression of Haute Couture refinement.

Couture Précieuse Exceptional cuff watch Radiant Laces Inspiration.

Discreet lecture of time inside the wrist. Crafted in 18K white gold.
Case and integrated clasp set with 26 brilliant-cut diamonds (approx. 0.8 ct). 
Bracelet set 288 baguette-cut diamonds (13.8 cts) and 85 brilliant-cut (approx. 9.2 cts). 
Silvered dial. Piaget 56P quartz movement. High Jewellery expertise. Ref. G0A38200 Couture

When a piece of Piaget jewelry or a watch is finally finished, it is the result of hundreds of hours of development and execution by Piaget’s master jewelers. Each piece can therefore be considered unique, because it is made by the hands of men whose unique masterpieces can never attain this level of perfection in an absolutely repeatable manner. See for yourself:

Assembling the gold link.

Diamonds-setting on the gold links.

Final details.

I am invited to the Biennale des Antiquaires, so stay tuned for some amazing photos in September!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Piaget, © Collection Grand Palais/François Tomasi