CollectionsJun 13, 2025
Piece of the Week: Robinson Pelham’s Pear EarringsTake a bite out of the 14-karat yellow gold “Fruits of Love Pear” earrings featuring peridots, diamond stems, and tsavorite leaves.
TrendsDec 07, 2016
Inside the Fantastical Mind of Lydia Courteille
A monograph dedicated to the French fine jewelry designer delves into her life and jewels.
Lydia Courteille’s new monograph is filled with images of her collaboration with Lithuanian digital artist Natalie Schau, whose portraits featuring Courteille’s jewelry are seen here. (© Natalie Schau)
New York--A new monograph dedicated to French fine jewelry designer Lydia Courteille delves into the mind behind the designs.
ACC Art Books published Lydia Courteille, Extraordinary Jewellery of Imagination and Dreams this fall.
Written by jewelry expert Julia Weir de la Rochefoucauld, the book recounts Courteille’s childhood and the traits that eventually manifested themselves in her jewelry design: an extreme curiosity about the world’s diverse cultures (she corresponded with 18 pen pals worldwide), a love of narrative, and an eye for aesthetically interesting objects, such as the stones she saw at the mineralogical museum in Paris.
It was in 1979 that Courteille turned her attention to jewelry outright.
While trying to repair an Art Deco watch she had purchased, Courteille became besotted with jewelry antiques she saw in dealers’ shops.
She began re-setting antique cameos, transforming them from brooches to large rings, finally deciding to pursue her passion for these jewels through formal gemology study, which culminated with a career as an independent antiques dealer, in which she collected great jewelers like Suzanne Belperron and opened a store in Paris.
This diadem is from Courteille’s Queen of Sheba collection.
Copyright Lydia Courteille
Copyright Lydia Courteille
Courteille created this headdress bangle as part of her collection inspired by Native American tribes. It features a variety of gemstones and enamel set in rhodium-plated gold.
Copyright Lydia Courteille
Copyright Lydia Courteille
Courteille’s bunny earrings featuring rubellite, pink sapphires and white and black diamonds set in rose gold
Copyright Lydia Courteille
Copyright Lydia Courteille
The Ashanti warrior ring featuring ebony, diamond and gold
Copyright Lydia Courteille
Copyright Lydia Courteille
Serpent pendant earrings from the Xochimilco collection, inspired by Courteille’s first trip abroad at age 21 to Mexico
Copyright Lydia Courteille
Copyright Lydia Courteille
A Memento Mori Couple brooch, circa 2007, featuring a boulder opal, diamonds and white gold
Copyright Lydia Courteille
Copyright Lydia Courteille
As Courteille began creating her own jewelry, she displayed it in the windows of her store along with her antique finds. The store and, subsequently, her designs garnered an impressive following.
Extraordinary Jewellery takes the reader through 20 of Courteille’s exquisite collections, their inspirations and origin stories.
Filles du Ciel, one of Courteille’s first collections, created in 1998, is inspired by carved jade in Asian design. Courteille made elaborate carved rings from turquoise and coral, adorning one with a ruby-encrusted beetle. It’s history reimagined through Courteille’s colorful, over-the-top lens.
In The Rainbow Warrior collection, there’s a fantastic take on Native American themes, such as a collar that feels ceremonial in its heft: Seven large semi-precious gemstones hang from the necklace and are bedecked with an array of animals.
Courteille’s collaborations are also highlighted, like the ongoing relationship she has with Lithuanian digital artist Natalie Schau, who illustrates Courteille’s creations, embedding them in her signature, anime-esque portraits.
Schau’s works fill the pages of Extraordinary Jewellery.
Extraordinary Jewellery is available now through a variety of booksellers, including its publisher, at ACCPublishingGroup.com.
More on Trends
The Latest
Events & AwardsJun 13, 2025
AGA to Host ‘Diamonds From Mine to Market’ Education ConferenceThe one-day virtual event will feature speakers from De Beers, GIA, and Gemworld International.
EditorsJun 12, 2025
15 Questions With Jewelry Photographer Ella SophieThe California-based creative talks jewelry photography in the modern era and tackles FAQs about working with a pro for the first time.
Brought to you by
Jewelers of America is Headed to Las Vegas for JCK 2025The countdown is on for the JCK Las Vegas Show and JA is pulling out all the stops.
AuctionsJun 12, 2025
Vintage Patek Philippe From the ‘50s Sells for $4M at Sotheby’s Al Capone’s pocket watch also found a buyer, though it went for less than half of what it did at auction four years ago.
Weekly QuizJun 12, 2025
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
Events & AwardsJun 12, 2025
Gabriel Love Foundation Introduces Scholarship Honoring Elias GabrielThe foundation has also expanded its “Stronger Together” initiative with Jewelers for Children.
AuctionsJun 12, 2025
Former De Beers Exec Celine Assimon Joins BonhamsAssimon is the auction house’s new chief commercial officer.
Brought to you by
The True Power Behind the Counter: Why Sales Associates Are the Heart of the Jewelry BusinessWhen investing in your jewelry business, it's important not to overlook the most crucial element of success: the sales associates.
EditorsJun 11, 2025
Q&A: Al Cook on Differentiating Natural Diamonds, Traceability, and TariffsThe De Beers Group CEO discusses the company’s new “beacon” program, the likelihood diamonds will be exempt from tariffs, and “Origin.”
MajorsJun 11, 2025
Pandora Bets on Las Vegas for First North American FlagshipThe Danish jewelry giant hosted its grand opening last weekend, complete with a Pandora pink roulette wheel.
GradingJun 11, 2025
Tiffany Stevens Exits IGI, Lab Appoints New Board LeaderIndustry veteran Anoop Mehta is the new chairman and independent director of the IGI board.
Events & AwardsJun 11, 2025
Kering Announces Winners of Sustainability-Focused AwardThe winners of the inaugural “Kering Generation Award x Jewelry” are student Lee Min Seo and China-based startup Ianyan.
SourcingJun 10, 2025
De Beers Turns to Brown, Yellow Diamonds for New ‘Beacon’“Ombré Desert Diamonds” will emphasize cream-, champagne-, and brown-colored diamonds, shades that set natural stones apart from lab grown.
AuctionsJun 10, 2025
Noonans to Auction 16th-Century Signet RingIt's one of the “Gresham grasshopper” rings English financier Sir Thomas Gresham was known to gift to acquaintances or business associates.
CollectionsJun 10, 2025
Tabayer Names Mary Chiam as CEOThe brand also debuted its new “Zorae” collection featuring a talisman of protection and harmony inspired by a sheaf of wheat.
MajorsJun 10, 2025
Lauren Johansen Joins Loudr As Loudr’s new account manager, Johansen will partner with clients to craft and execute marketing strategies.
Events & AwardsJun 09, 2025
And the Winners of the 2025 Couture Design Awards Are … Designers were recognized in 12 categories, from platinum to pearls, before the evening ended with a new, retail-focused award.
AuctionsJun 09, 2025
Nancy Astor’s Cartier Tiara Sells for $1.2MThe rare turquoise and diamond jewel was the top lot at Bonhams’ June jewelry sale.
IndependentsJun 09, 2025
Here Are the 2025 Retailer Hall of Fame InducteesThis year’s honorees include a Midwest retailer and two multi-store independents, one in New York and the other in New England.
Events & AwardsJun 09, 2025
CASE Awards Now Accepting Entries For 2025The deadline to submit is June 16.
MajorsJun 09, 2025
RDI Diamonds Partners With LavalierThe diamond wholesaler is working with the insurance provider to seamlessly offer personal jewelry insurance to RDI retailers’ clients.
CollectionsJun 06, 2025
Piece of the Week: Harwell Godfrey’s ‘Granny Squares Eleanor’ Necklace As an homage to iconic crochet blankets, the necklace features the nostalgic motif through a kaleidoscope of cabochon-cut stones.
Events & AwardsJun 05, 2025
The 12 Fresh Faces in Couture’s Design AtelierDiscover the dozen up-and-coming brands exhibiting in the Design Atelier for the first time.
SourcingJun 05, 2025
A Rare Suite of Rubies Has Arrived in Las VegasThe “Royal Ruby” Collection is a quintet of untreated rubies curated by collector Jack Abraham.
Events & AwardsJun 05, 2025
Daymond John to Give Keynote at JCK Las VegasThe entrepreneur and “Shark Tank” star will share his top tips for success.
MajorsJun 05, 2025
Platinum Guild International Updates Leadership TeamTwo existing executives have been given new roles.
Events & AwardsJun 05, 2025
Zillion Announces 'Women in STEM' Scholarship RecipientMeredith Tiderington, an electrical engineering student, was selected for the award.
