Mathon Paris’ Les Vergers-Quatre Saisons Jewellery Collection

Inspired by Family Legacy, Fashioned by Jewellery Heritage

Mathon Paris’ Les Vergers-Quatre Saison Jewellery Collection

As an amateur gardener, I feel the passing of the seasons quite keenly. Spring melts into Summer which meets Fall and everything closes shop as Winter approaches. However, Mathon Paris’ Les Vergers Quatre Saisons jewellery collection celebrates this very changing of seasons in a most beautifully way.

This collection marks the 90th anniversary of the jewellery house’s French craftsmanship and 50th anniversary of its original designs. Aude Mathon, who is President at Mathon Paris and belongs to the fourth generation of this family-owned high jewellery Maison, has been closely involved with Les Vergers Quatre Saisons jewellery collection, right from the outset. In a sense, this new jewellery collection is Aude’s homage to her family home, Les Vergers. Comprising of four high jewellery pieces and fifteen fine jewellery ones, this collection is an ode to happy family memories, Nature and le quatre saisons.

A year at Les Vergers is divided into four seasons. Each season is highlighted by one piece of haute joaillerie- a ring. Each ring has its own story to tell.

Starting with Fall, Automne, we find ourselves mesmerized by an Imperial topaz as we take a walk in the woods surrounding Les Vergers. We chance upon a squirrel who is busy looking for acorns, which may just be hidden underneath fallen leaves of yellow gold and bright, early autumn lacquer mushrooms.

The season changes and we find our selves in the middle of winter, Hiver. A large, vibrant cushion-cut Tanzanite, a pristine blue lake framed by sparkling diamond snow, bright-red ruby holly berries and sculpted gold acorns. A little further and we run into a sly fox, as it quietly looks for food in this wintry landscape.

The Earth steadily continues its journey around the sun and we find ourselves in Spring, Printemps. The snow has melted away and everything is awash with colour. Here the perspective changes. An exquisite green tourmaline greets us as we climb up a wisteria. A little ahead we come across a candy-red lacquer ladybug and a striped bee hard at work. Everything is alive and buzzing with activity.

Yet again, the season changes and its warm summer, Ete. Our gaze finds itself enchanted by a baby pink beryl, its inclusions reminiscent of verdant flora in a secret garden. There are blue cornflowers and a moveable jewelled butterfly. But more significantly there are diamond-set ears of wheat, the penultimate sign of high summer.

Sheer depth of design, exquisite attention to detail and finesse of craftsmanship underscore the four high jewellery rings of the collection. Each piece is perfectly finished and is a spellbinding  canvas of gems and goldsmithing. There is a subtle complexity to each piece, but we are not complaining since its this very characteristic that elevates these pieces instead of weighing them down. What’s more, these pieces are punctuated with hidden elements, to be discovered only if you look on the inner side of the rings, like a secret shared between the jewel and the wearer. A complete marriage of vision and skill, the four high jewellery pieces of this collection are a well-loved legend narrated in precious gems and breathtaking French workmanship.

Happily, the story does not end here.

Oak Leaves, artistic and stylized, defined by meticulous gold chasing, bring finely crafted earrings and a ring into this idyllic jewellery world. As well, poppies, the ubiquitous flower of high summer, find their way into Les Vergers as mismatch earrings, to be worn together or individually.

However, the pieces that anchor the jewellery collection are the Lune long necklace and Lune earrings. It is these pieces that bring the past into the present. Inspired by the archival drawing of a necklace made by her grandfather, Roger Mathon, Aude created a contemporary iteration of that vintage piece. Using the same design elements but interpreted through a modern lens, the Lune pieces bring the story of Les Vergers full circle. Gold beads, partly embellished with heavy texture and partly with smooth lacquer describe the different phases of the moon and so also, the passage of time. In a way, the entire collection comes together with these two pieces.

Savoir faire, passion and memorable moments come together in Mathon’s Les Vergers -Quatre Saisons Jewellery Collection. Piece by piece, the collection unfolds as a love song to finding exuberant joy in simple things.