In ode to seasonal shifts, De Beers delivers colorful campaign

July 10, 2023

The Metamorphosis collection welcomes new volumes, nods to nature and butterflies in a celebration of transformation. Image credit: De Beers Marketing surrounding the Metamorphosis by De Beers Couture Collection uplifts dynamic visuals and biomimetic design choices. Image credit: De Beers

By Emily Iris Degn

Diamond company De Beers is paying tribute to the planet’s ever-changing nature.

Metamorphosis by De Beers Couture Collection welcomes new volumes and iconography in an accessory celebration of transformation. Joining ranks with the bevy of luxury labels dropping high jewelry in recent weeks, the world's leading diamond company odes seasonal shifts with colorful campaign visuals and biomimetic design choices.

“The jewelry is defined by its statement nature,” said Kimmie Smith, cofounder and creative director of Athleisure Mag, New York.

“Even with the pieces that may not be physically oversized, there is something about them where your eye needs a moment to take in the structure, sparkle and how it looks against your skin tone and the outfit that you have included it in,” Ms. Smith said. “The shapes really stick out, whether they are playing with geometry or are sweeping styles.

“[The collection] has a high level of visual texture which really lets you take it all in and see the story that it's allowing you to experience through each piece.”

Ms. Smith is not affiliated with De Beers, but agreed to comment as an industry expert.

Sticking to seasonality
Spring, summer, autumn and winter each get one dedicated corner of De Beers' latest campaign.

Consumers are thus given the chance to choose, mixing and matching within a line that showcases glittering pieces inspired by respective periods of the year.

Products are framed by a marketing message which rests on the message premise that, similar to the formation of diamonds, change optimizes potential.

“With Prelude, the first set from our new High Jewelry collection, Metamorphosis by De Beers, we wanted to tell the story of the start of a magical transformation,” said Céline Assimon, CEO of De Beers Jewelers, in a statement.

Natural diamonds adorn De Beers' high jewelry collection

“In Chapter Two, we continue this poetic ode to the beauty of nature’s constant evolution and welcome four beautiful butterflies,” Ms. Assimon said. “They are an iconic emblem of De Beers and a symbol of our boundless creativity.

“I am particularly proud of the daring designs of this chapter: we’ve experimented with bold volumes, graphic motifs and hidden details.”

To start, teferences are made throughout spring styles 10 iridescent pieces to the African King Protea flower, which serves as the inspiration behind the diamond-set petals motifs found upon earrings, necklaces and rings.

Fluidity is brought into the seasonal articulation, the precious stone-dusted jewelry crafted so that the petal pieces can flutter and sway with the wearer’s movements, upping the interactive nature of the items.

The spring set takes notes from southern African King Protea flower petals, the planet depicted in gems and rose gold. Image credit: De Beers De Beers' spring set takes notes from the African King Protea flower. Image credit: De Beers

Next, fossil formations are the subject of the Metamorphosis summer collection, as high jewelry sparkles with stones set in corresponding gold tones.

Cocktail rings, earrings, necklaces and bracelets feature distinct silhouettes and 1.7-carat yellow diamonds, with warmth imbued throughout the hues and harmonious spirals of prehistoric references.

Ammonite fossils were discovered on coastal dunes, honored by the summer jewelry assortment. Image credit: De Beers

Turning toward the transitional seasons, rose gold hand-painted with a rustic Grand Feu enamel ombré echoing fall foliage taking center stage for autumn. Consisting of seven designs, deep reds, oranges and golden bronzes swirl in wind-swept shapes.

The artistic additions are detachable from the diamond-set white gold jewelry in yet another nod to metamorphosis.

Each of the designs is convertible, in fact, utilizing interchangeable pieces and combinable elements.

Like the other Autumn selections, the fiery earrings can detach from the extended, hand-painted lengtheners. Image credit: De Beers

Rounding out the four-set high jewelry collection is Winter, the final act of transformation.

Intricate shapes are formed in jewels to mimic the look of fragmented ice on frozen lakes that occur during cold weather months.

The ambience of the latter annual months is captured through high-clarity stones, white gold and white diamonds, plus shard-like shapes that mirror cracked earthly surfaced. A standout necklace with this effect is set with more than 2,980 diamonds and a central 5.06-carat dark green-grey diamond.

Requiring 1,406 hours to craft, the Winter necklace creates a geometric gem jigsaw, inspired by frozen waters. Image credit: De Beers

Collectively, the four seasons platform individuality, attracting owners with similar values.

“When you think about the seasons, they reflect specific transitions that take place in nature for the Earth as we enjoy it, as well as growing seasons,” Ms. Smith said.

“In theory, the things that take place in each season from budding to renewal have taken place in our lives at different periods of time,” she said. “Some may be in their harvest season now, whereas others are newly budding, and so this line of Metamorphosis speaks to that as we're all in different stages and levels of how we navigate life.”

Au natural
De Beers is making a name for itself when it comes to nature-inspired jewelry and pushes, this Metamorphosis campaign not being the first in the series.

A beloved symbol of the house, the butterfly returns for Metamorphosis. Image credit: De Beers

In the past, the company has also dropped light-inspired collections (see story), having collaborated with media entities such as National Geographic in real-life shows of appreciation for the environment where its story begins (see story).

Turning to every season, De Beers inserts its codes into the highly-popular wave of high jewelry offerings taking over the luxury sector, imbuing the trendy category with its own lens.

The De Beers Winter tiara glints with 40-carat diamonds, a unique add in the world of high jewelry drops. Image credit: De Beers The De Beers Winter tiara, a unique addition to the world of high jewelry drops, glints with 40-carat diamonds. Image credit: De Beers

“Our focus on transformability and versatility reflects the fact that De Beers is a young House: High Jewelry is the epitome of art and craftsmanship, but it should also be wearable and fun,” said Ms. Assimon, in a statement.

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