Bague Blondie diamants

Silver is a precious metal that takes its name from the Latin word for shiny, argentum. After having been a resource of great value in Greece and Crete during Antiquity, silver was subsequently extracted largely in Spain, and later in central Europe. In the 19th century, thanks to numerous advances in production (including the technique of drilling by steam engines and the improvement of transport), many silver mines were discovered and exploited throughout the world. Today, silver is found in the form of veins and nuggets mainly in Mexico, Peru, Australia and China. In traditional jewellery-making, silver is often covered with a thin layer of rhodium which gives it a more homogeneous and stable colour over time. But today designers favour its natural colour and rarely "rhodium" their silver pieces. Instead, they set it with stones and allow it to oxidise for a modern and elegant look. Like gold, silver is malleable. It is therefore impossible to use it at 100% purity for the creation of jewellery. In France, silver is recognised as a precious metal from 800 thousandths of pure silver in the alloy. However, the silver most commonly used in jewellery is 925 thousandths, that is to say an alloy composed of 92.5% pure silver. Different hallmarks are used to classify silver according to its purity. The 925 thousandths silver is marked by a Minerva head. Alloys made up of 80% pure silver are represented by a head of Minerva followed by the number 2. Silver jewellery tends to oxidise on contact with oxygen in the air. This natural oxidation disappears quite easily with specific products for silverware. These must be applied with a soft cloth, then rinsed and dried. At WHITEbIRD, designer Sophie Buhai’s sculptural and often voluminous pieces inspired by the modernist tradition put silver in the spotlight. De Jaegher also use silver in their precious jewellery.

A diamond has long been seen as pure light made solid — a material shaped deep within the earth, revealed through cut, proportion and care. To a jeweller, every facet is a choice, every reflection a quiet exchange between the stone and the hand that guides it. Traditionally celebrated in its colourless form, the diamond today speaks in a much broader, more expressive language. The 4Cs — Colour, Clarity, Cut and Carat — remain essential markers of quality: colour graded from D to Z, clarity from FL to VS, the precision of the cut, the weight measured in carats. Yet these criteria no longer define beauty in absolute terms. Designers and collectors increasingly embrace shades beyond classic white: warm browns, subtle yellows, soft greys, frosted tones, and stones with delicate inclusions. Features once labeled as imperfections now offer character, depth and a sense of authenticity. These singularities trace the story of each diamond — its growth, its internal tensions, the minerals encountered along the way. They remind us that a diamond is not only a symbol but a living material shaped by time. Whether perfectly clear or crossed by a gentle haze, the diamond continues to embody precision, endurance and emotion. A light that no longer strives for flawless uniformity, but embraces the truth and beauty of its own individuality.