The ribbon is used to represent numerous things, from memorial to remembrance, but it also contains an air of romance, and childlike whimsy.
The dolled-up braids of a child’s (or grown-up’s) hair, the lace of a ballerina’s shoe—the bow has even been a mainstay in jewelry for centuries, most notably during the Baroque period.
And what of the look of a gift? Festooned with a ribbon or bow, it’s the picture of holiday cheer; the ribbon is also used to decorate wreaths, windows, and doors—not to mention the season’s most festive fashions.
Which is precisely why the latest collection from Cece Jewellery is so timely: an assortment of pendants and signet rings hand-painted with ribbons, against a backdrop of twinkling stars.
“The ribbon represents pure joy and lightness!” designer Cece Fein Hughes tells JCK. “It’s the perfect playful motif for the upcoming holiday season.”
Inspired by Rococo paintings originating in Paris in the 18th century—a style that also refers to architecture and sculpture—Cece’s bows borrow from the style’s elegant, curved lines, a delicate but whimsical presence to soothe the mood.
“I remember studying the Swing painting by Jean-Honoré Fragonard in History of Art at school, which is what made me want to go on to study the subject at university,” the designer says of her most memorable encounter with the style.
The collection features four pendants and four matching signet rings, in addition to one special edition made specifically for the holiday season.
Pretty n’ Pink, which the designer tells us has been the most popular version since the collection’s launch this month, features a hand-painted pink bow with an arrow-through-the-heart motif on the sides (for the pendants, the motif is on the opposite side). The Wedding Bells edition features a bow in white, with wedding bells; Till Death Do Us Part, a black bow with skulls; and Ahoy Sailor, a blue ribbon with a compass.
Unequivocally the most festive of the bunch, the Christmas exclusive ring—appropriately named All I Want for Christmas Is You—is decorated with a vibrant red ribbon, which trails down the sides of the shoulders of the ring as diamond-dotted stars sparkle throughout. For the most avid lover of the holiday season, it’s the perfect gift already tied up with a bow.
The collection is available now.
Top: All I Want for Christmas Is You ring in 18k yellow gold with enamel and diamonds, $4,905; Cece Jewellery
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