Echoes of Granville

Named after Monsieur Christian Dior’s childhood home of Granville, Normandy, the French couture house’s latest high jewellery and horology collection captures the joie de vivre of childhood games and memories. Informed by the cheerfully coloured rainbow hues of his family’s house and garden, Middle Eastern illustrator Samar Sadik playfully nods at the haute joaillerie collection and the surreal history behind it in a series of charming sketches. 

The juicy burst of colours in this tourmaline bracelet set in rose gold from Dior’s Granville collection instantly captures the youthful excitement of these precious stones. Dior’s creative director, Victoire de Castellane, playfully employs colours inspired by children’s games. This mesmerising bracelet turned into a headpiece in Sadik’s illustration features a pink tourmaline at its heart, surrounded by an eclectic mix of some of de Castellane’s favourite, brightly coloured gemstones. 

The La D de Dior ‘Granville’ array of sugary sweet timepieces throws in candy bright belts in mauve, pink and pistachio green, clashing with mother-of-pearl dials in the most subdued turquoise, jade or richly purple hues. “Colour plays a starring role,” says Castellane, who transforms the vision of exploring a richly cultivated garden, viewed through the lens of childhood nostalgia and brought to life by the Granville range of timepieces. 

The vibrant colour palette extends into Dior cocktail rings, tapping the childhood memory of rummaging through mother’s jewellery box. Each ring surrounds central gems with juxtaposing stones of varying cuts, colours and even setting styles, creating kaleidoscopic visions of blooming flora. The rings are set with joyfully sparkling green beryl, aquamarine, tanzanite, rubellite and many more sparklers, bringing to life Monsieur Dior’s enchanted childhood playground.