Boucheron : Impermanence

In 2025, the Maison Boucheron continues its dialogue with nature through not one but two high jewelry collections. In January, the Parisian house unveiled Untamed Nature, a tribute to Frédéric Boucheron’s original vision of nature’s beauty. Now, with the launch of its latest Carte Blanche collection, Creative Director Claire Choisne delivers a far more intimate interpretation — Impermanence. This collection extends a dream first imagined in 2018 with Fleurs Éternelles: to grant eternity to the ephemeral. With Impermanence, Choisne seeks to capture the very essence of nature, not to preserve it in stasis, but to invite contemplation — and in doing so, to inspire its protection.

A Dialogue Between Light and Shadow

Inspired by the Japanese art of Ikebana and the wabi-sabi philosophy, Impermanence unfolds in six botanical compositions, each captured at a different stage of disappearance. From Composition No. 6, bathed in light, to Composition No. 1, immersed in absolute darkness, the sequence narrates the progressive fading of nature. Light is the central thread: initially omnipresent, it gradually recedes into blackness, symbolising the end of a natural cycle. Within these six compositions lie 28 transformable high jewelry creations, wearable in multiple ways, embodying both technical ingenuity and artistic poetry. The collection is the result of over 18,000 hours of work in Boucheron’s ateliers — an extraordinary feat even by haute joaillerie standards — and once again pushes the boundaries of form, materials, and innovation.

Wabi-Sabi and Ikebana in High Jewelry

Wabi-sabi celebrates imperfection, impermanence, and the beauty of the passage of time. Ikebana, the Japanese art of floral arrangement, embraces every stage of a flower’s life — from bud to bloom to decline. Choisne merges these philosophies into jewelry, creating wearable art that is as much about absence as it is about presence.

Highlights of the Six Compositions

• Composition No. 6 – Tulip, Eucalyptus, Dragonfly
  Crafted in borosilicate or sapphire glass, mother-of-pearl, diamonds, and white gold. The tulip and eucalyptus appear frozen mid-breath, their transparency playing with light. The dragonfly’s wings — less than a millimetre thick — are an iridescent blend of sapphire glass and nacre. Transformations: eucalyptus as brooch or hair jewel, tulip as brooch, dragonfly as earrings.
• Composition No. 5 – Thistles, Rhinoceros Beetle
  White ceramic coating, bio-sourced resin 3D printing, diamonds, and white gold. The thistles are astonishingly realistic, with a pioneering “sewn” diamond-setting technique developed for this project. Transformations: large thistle as brooch or crossbody jewel, small thistle as double-finger ring, beetle as brooch.
• Composition No. 4 – Cyclamen, Oat, Caterpillar, Butterfly
  Diamonds, black spinels, rock crystal, black lacquer, titanium, and white gold. Nearly 700 rose-cut diamonds form a petal “stained glass” effect, while the caterpillar’s articulated body and brush-like hairs bring naturalism to life. Transformations: cyclamen as bracelet or brooch, oat as hair jewel, caterpillar as brooch, butterfly as hair ornament.
• Composition No. 3 – Iris, Wisteria, Stag Beetle
  White ceramic, titanium, aluminium, diamonds, and black spinels. The iris’s petals alternate between matte and glossy DLC finishes; the wisteria is a feat of lightness and flexibility, weighing under 150 grams despite its complexity. Transformations: iris as shoulder brooch, wisteria as hair or garment jewel, stag beetle as brooch.
• Composition No. 2 – Magnolia, Stick Insect
  Aluminium, white gold, black ceramic, and diamonds. A horizontally suspended magnolia branch seems spectral, its petals skeletal outlines. The stick insect’s legs required exceptional finesse in white gold and diamonds. Transformations: magnolia as headpiece or choker, stick insect as brooch.
• Composition No. 1 – Poppy, Sweet Pea, Butterfly
  The culmination of darkness, using aventurine glass, onyx, black spinels, and Vantablack® — one of the darkest substances known, absorbing 99.965% of visible light. The poppy’s petals dissolve into void; the sweet pea’s twisted stems are sculpted in aventurine glass and titanium. Transformations: poppy as headband or brooch, sweet pea as brooches, butterfly as magnetic shoulder jewel.

A Visionary Legacy

Founded by Frédéric Boucheron in 1858, the Maison remains a pioneer in Place Vendôme high jewelry. With Impermanence, Claire Choisne continues to redefine what haute joaillerie can express — merging craftsmanship, cutting-edge technology, and philosophical depth into a single, poetic gesture.