The ocean, a source of inspiration for jewelry

The ocean, vast and mysterious, has always captivated and nourished the imagination of artists, and especially jewelers. Its deep waters, changing colors, and diverse fauna offer a wide range of possibilities to explore in jewelry! 

Marine materials: natural treasures for jewelry

The ocean is full of raw materials that jewelers have been able to exploit to bring jewelry creations to life: 

• The pearls, natural and cultured, is a material that has long been used in jewelry, particularly for its volatile appearance, but also for the diversity of its orient: we find shades of pink, white, yellow or even black, which are determined according to the sea from which the pearl comes. Pearls can also be round, drop, circled, button, baroque and keshi.
• Mother-of-pearl, prized for their iridescence, are used in the form of mosaics. They are found in different varieties: the mother-of-pearl of pearl guinea fowl, the "burgau" mother-of-pearl and the "paua" mother-of-pearl.
• The corals, with their vibrant shades of white, blue, pink, red and orange otherwise known as “angel skin”, are found on many vintage pieces of jewelry, which is less the case today, however, because modern jewelry favors more responsible sourcing that has less impact on the environment.

The ocean as a model for jewelry creation

To reproduce the ocean, jewelers opt for the use of organic shapes that are sometimes realistic, sometimes abstract: 

On the one hand, waves, a symbol of perpetual movement, are often reproduced in jewelry, evoking both the strength and softness of the ocean through organic, fluid and elegant lines that visually transcribe the inertia of water.

On the other hand, jewelry also likes to represent the ocean in a more figurative way, notably through the fauna and flora that compose it: fish, starfish, sea urchins, crabs, seahorses, jellyfish, turtles, and shells... a real oceanic bestiary is expressed through processes of stonework, engravings, metal sculptures, etc.

The different shades of water can be transcribed by assemblages of multiple precious stones with bluish hues, such as sapphires, topazes, aquamarines...

The symbolism of the ocean: an emotional richness

The ocean has always carried a powerful symbolism that seduces jewelers and jewelry wearers. It often represents infinity, mystery and freedom. A contemplative element, it also refers to serenity, calm or nostalgia. 

Certain stones are associated with it symbolically, notably aquamarine which comes from the Latin ""aqua marina", meaning "sea water", which evokes sea water with its translucent blue color. La turquoise, as for it, it bears the name of a color that perfectly matches that of water, all the more significant because of its clouds and veins of brown colors, reminiscent of the movement of waves. Finally, moonstone also echoes the tides, since the gravity of the Moon influences the movements of the oceans, which generates the phenomenon of tides. 

The ocean has also inspired major jewelry houses through illustrative and colorful collections such as “Ondes et merveilles” by Chaumet, “Blue Book 2023: Out of the Blue” by Tiffany & Co, “Seven Seas” by Van Cleef & Arpels and Mikimoto's “Praise to the Sea”, more sculptural with “Sea” by Bucciarati, or even more contemporary ones with “Ocean Light” by Tasaki and “Ocean” by Place Vendôme.