First look: Harry Winston’s Winston with Love collection debuts

Harry Winston knows what love feels like, and looks like. This month the renowned American jewellery house, which was founded by the man himself back in 1932 (Winston’s first diamond diamond business company, The Premier Diamond Company, was established in 1920), debuts a collection of sentimental incredible jewels. Titled Winston with Love, the high jewellery offering is inspired by the intense emotion it is named after.

Here, Love – or, L.O.V.E. – is explored in four chapters: each letter of the word represents a different phase of love both figuratively and literally – from the initial spark of attraction, on to passion, devotion and finally future. There’s L for Winston Light, O for Winston Obsession, V for Winston Vow and E for Winston Eternity. All four capture the heartfelt sentiment of love through an eloquent combination of diamonds and colourful precious gemstones; 39 expressive pieces in total, all made entirely by hand and a modern interpretation of the much-adored Harry Winston design aesthetic.

“Jewels are more than my love and my life,” Mr Winston, who, during his lifetime, earned the grand moniker “King of Diamonds”, once said. “They are an insatiable obsession.” In this new collection, it’s easy to see why: the Harry Winston story has long been told through a portfolio of diamonds, precious stones and exceptional jewels. In this latest instalment, variation in colour, movement, meaning and form are explored to seductive effect.

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In the first chapter is Sparks, appropriately indicative of those initial feelings. A series of pendants, earrings and rings in firework formation, they are exuberant and captivating. Available with three different coloured centre stones - red rubellite, blue tanzanite or orange spessartite strike - the mixed metal rays on each piece are set at varying heights and artfully applied as though a flaming light with brightly-coloured gemstones and diamonds. Brilliant Glow is a high jewellery suite, its one-of-a-kind necklace a composition of white diamonds, yellow diamonds, pink sapphires, spessartites and rubies, a heart-shaped yellow diamond its central gem.

On to the next stage, Obsession, and the Dancing Flames series features two high jewellery suites which pair vibrant gems with diamonds; a necklace in one is set with a central sugarloaf ruby and further strengthened by diamond, purple sapphire, spessartite and ruby flames. While Flare makes for a formidable series of earrings and rings – constructed using the house’s expert technique of mixed metal pave – finished in three colour ways.

The Winston Promise pendant, ring and earrings; and the Dual Hearts series form the next phase of the story, Vow. Subtle or elegantly simple heart motifs feature throughout and among the former collection, rubies, diamonds, yellow diamonds and pink sapphires are set in rose gold; half-heart mismatched earrings can be placed perfectly side by side. In the traditional Winston fashion, diamonds appear as though floating on the skin. This is the most obviously romantic of the chapters with a flourish of red rubies.

Among the last chapter, Eternity, it’s the idea of a lifetime of togetherness that is celebrated in the Sweet Heart pendant, earring and ring; and The Endless Love suite, which is adapted from an archival design, featuring diamonds and rubies in a signature twist motif, as a representation of two people embraced with love.