Like a jewel itself, a palace distills the essence of fantasy and beauty. These are special places, unique to their eras and situations. Palaces represent what is most precious about a culture or historical period. Within these hallowed walls, the finest examples of art and craftsmanship are allowed to bloom, endowed with a freedom and means rarely seen in other contexts.
Boghossian’s Palace Voyages collection maps a unique route through time and space, beginning at Beijing’s Qianlong Palace and travelling across continents to end at Brighton Pavilion. Fourteen distinct palaces provide the inspiration for so many equally unique pieces, inspired as much by the architectural and historical details of a location as by its story and atmosphere. From the Qianlong Palace in China, known for its harmonious blend of classical Chinese traditions and Western influences, come the elegant “Tranquil Magnolia” necklace, featuring jadeite links and a carved mother-of-pearl flower, and the “Bamboo Blossom” cuff adorned with jade and diamonds, reflecting the palace’s balance of tradition and innovation.
The collection also takes cues from Taman Sari, the Indonesian “garden of flowers,” inspiring the “Flowing Droplets” set. This design captures the fluidity of water with diamonds and Paraiba tourmalines, while the “Floral Cascade” ensemble mirrors water’s movement through gardens with diamond and emerald tassels. The Grand Palace in Bangkok, with its breathtaking architecture and rich ceremonial history, inspires the radiant “Shimmering Rays” set, which features a striking combination of yellow and white diamonds. Complementing this is the “Golden Dragon” ensemble, echoing the mythical dragon motifs that adorn the palace’s columns.
The regal influence continues with City Palace in Jaipur, whose inner courtyard gates representing the seasons inspire the “Verdant Waves” collection, featuring green tourmalines. The “Winter Roses” pieces, combining carved rubellite and prasiolites, beautifully blend traditional and contemporary styles, much like the palace itself. From Mysore Palace, the ceremonial grandeur of its durbar hall is reflected in the “Durbar Blue” set, using blue topaz and lapis lazuli to echo the elegance of its arches, while the “Amba Arches” pieces feature aquamarines and pink spinel, embodying the vibrant essence of the palace.
The ancient Persian palace of Persepolis influences the “Babylon Gate” necklace, where marquise-diamonds, lapis lazuli and turquoise evoke the grandeur of the past, and the “Lapis Lotus” set symbolizes rebirth, using diamonds, turquoise, and spessartite garnet to bring ancient motifs into modern form. Drawing from the 16th-century architecture of Golestan Palace, the “Mirror Maze” set creates a kaleidoscope of vibrant stones that reflect the intricate designs of the palace’s halls, while the “White Hall” pieces, featuring rock crystal, diamonds, and mother-of-pearl, capture light with meticulous artistry.
Inspired by the ancient North Palace of Amarna, the “Queen’s Papyrus” set reflects the delicate papyrus motif, using jadeite and emeralds to evoke the elegance of ancient Egyptian art. The “Nile Flowers” pieces, featuring blue sapphires, represent abstract depictions of Egypt’s storied landscape. From Bahia Palace in Marrakesh, the collection draws on Moroccan craftsmanship for the “Wheel of Colour” pendant, with complex patterns and hues, while “Mosaic Haven” uses rubellite and colored lattices to reflect the intricate tilework that adorns this remarkable palace.
The iconic architecture of Alhambra in Granada inspires the “Seven Realms” necklace, a technical marvel that mimics geometric patterns, while the “Midnight Blue” pieces capture the palace’s nocturnal ambiance with tanzanite and pink opal. From the famed Amber Room of Catherine Palace, the “Sunlit Wonder” set and the “Golden Ember” ensemble utilize amber and luminous stones to mimic the room’s radiant Baroque splendor, creating pieces that evoke light and warmth. Rococo elegance is brought to life with influences from Sanssouci Palace. The “Pianoforte Melody” and “Garden of the Sun” collections include delicately engraved gold and diamonds, combining musical and natural elements reminiscent of the palace’s playful sophistication.
Finally, the Petit Trianon at Versailles inspires the “Belvedere Beauty” and “Classical Essence” pieces, where diamonds and mother-of-pearl capture the neo-Classical elegance and feminine charm of Marie-Antoinette’s beloved residence. The opulent décor of the Royal Pavilion in Brighton finds expression in the “Flickering Chandelier” and “Gleaming Foliage” sets, with mobile diamonds and sapphires playing with light and shadow.
