Hermès to showcase high jewelry pieces in Shanghai

"Any object is beautiful when placed against a dark background. The contrast effect heightens its power. I always wonder how women will wear my jewelry and how they will see themselves through these lights and shadows. I hold up a mirror to their freedom and picture them playing with their transformations," he added.

On the Lueurs du jour rings, earrings, and necklace, this shadow takes the material form of jade, worked by hand to give it a satin finish. On the Ombres mobiles pieces the shadow is titanium, set like a precious metal into the rose gold.

Gracefully flexing across the skin, the Chaînes d'ombre necklace required almost 2,000 hours of meticulous craftsmanship, including 700 hours of gem setting, to individually and carefully position each stone.