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“‘1932’ is the name we have chosen for our new high jewellery collection, which pays tribute to the 90th anniversary of Bijoux de Diamants.”

Combining clean lines and sumptuous curves, the necklace evokes twinkling heavenly bodies and radiant starbursts. For the most part, they’re picked out in round-cut diamonds, but with pride of place taken by an intense blue oval sapphire weighing in at a distinctly opulent 55.55 carats, and a type IIa DFL pear-cut diamond weighing 8.05 carats. The piece is also fully transformable: the halos become brooches, while turning the central row of diamonds into a bracelet also lends the necklace a new, shorter form.

The Allure Céleste necklace is the undoubted highlight of the “1932” collection, recalling the historic Bijoux de Diamants unveiled by the Parisian maison 90 years ago – celebrated as the first time an entire collection of high jewellery had been released, setting a precedent that has shaped the industry ever since.

It came about when Coco Chanel was invited to create the collection by the London Diamond Corporation, which was looking to revive its fortunes after some challenging years following the Wall Street Crash of 1929. It turned to a designer known for her visionary approach to clothing and accessories alike, who crafted a revolutionary collection of about 50 pieces, featuring white and yellow diamonds set in platinum and yellow gold.

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The same spirit of modernity has informed the creation of the new “1932” collection, which features 81 pieces conceived by the Chanel Jewelry Creation Studio. It comes with the same celestial inspiration as its storied predecessor, taking cues from the spectacular beauty of the heavens.

“I wanted to return to the essence of 1932 and to harmonise the message around three symbols: the comet, the moon and the sun,” says Patrice Leguéreau, director of the studio. “Every heavenly body shines with its own light. I have given figurative expression to the shimmer of the comet, the halo of the moon, and the radiance of the sun. These graphic motifs amplify the brilliance of the jewels.”

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In contrast to Bijoux de Diamants, which focused almost entirely on the icy beauty of diamonds, the “1932” collection foregrounds a dazzling array of coloured gemstones, including sapphires, yellow diamonds, opals, rubies, spinels and tanzanites. As with the Allure Céleste necklace centrepiece, 15 pieces from the collection are transformable.

“The spirit of movement, freedom and flexibility inspired by Mademoiselle Chanel in 1932 is celebrated in the transformable nature of some of the pieces,” says Leguéreau. “Elements of the necklaces may be detached and worn as brooches, while the central stones can be used to enrich a ring or earrings.”