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May 18th, 2021

Our inspirations from week four of the New BBC2 show ‘All that glitters’.

In the final episode of the season, working with 18ct gold the remaining contestants had to create a pair of stand-out drop earrings, followed by their own version of a Maang Tikka – a traditional Indian bridal headpiece.
September 18th, 2023

Provocative Pearls

A trusted staple in every jewellery wardrobe, Pearls know their place. Sitting quietly & elegantly, they are the epitome of good taste, & affectionately referred to as ‘Power Pearls’ in certain circles.

‘When Lee first asked me to work with him in 1993, I was initially hesitant as my mindset was that of a traditional goldsmith. I couldn’t understand how we could afford to make jewellery for the shows as I normally worked with precious metals and diamonds. He was a student and I had just completed my apprenticeship – so how were we to afford it? I felt daunted but he believed that I could apply my skills to any medium to create ‘The Beautiful’. He told me that we didn’t have to work in gold and diamonds, we could use brass, aluminium, feathers and pearls, using my knowledge to execute. This was a turning point in my career as a craftsman and a designer – he had opened up my mind.’

SHAUN LEANE

Pheasant Claw & Pearl Earrings

The Pheasant-Claw & Pearl earrings were created by Shaun Leane for Alexander McQueen’s 'What a Merry Go-Round' catwalk show, A/W 2001. Each mesmerising claw grasps four strands of fifty Tahitian pearls. These earrings featured in the ‘Savage Beauty’ exhibition at the Met in New York, 2011. The black pearl version featured four strands of thirty-two Tahitian pearls.

Cherry Blossom Hook Earrings

Our Cherry Blossom collection captures that specific fleeting beauty in precious silver and gold vermeil where sculptural shapes, lustrous pearls, fine enamels and brilliant-cut diamonds come together in exquisite creations, and a promise of unending joy. Pearls have never enjoyed such fuss.

Hooked Pearl Earrings

Hooked Pearl Large Earrings are the perfect statement earrings for now. Inspired by Leane’s barbed silver tusks from the Alexander McQueen runways of the 1990s, the Hooked Pearl silhouette defies tradition - curled, curvilinear, generous - making freshwater pearls the centre of attention. Flawless, face-framing yellow gold vermeil hooks pierce the lobe, encasing precious, organic material.

Hooked Pearl  Earrings

Pearls are now a bona fide male accessory. What might have started out as fashion, is now here to stay. Men have (re)discovered Pearl Power. Black pearls & Silver Black Rhodium come together in perfect harmony in Hooked Pearl.

Pearl Power

Pearls mean Power. They always have.

Beautiful, with that soft glow. Sensual, in shape & feel. Elegantly quiet in appearance. A truly versatile material, they are timeless & ageless in appeal. But thankfully, prone to reinvention. Perfect for master jeweller Shaun Leane.

“To make a necklace for the fall 2001 “What a Merry Go Round” show, “I was delivered a bin bag of 100 pheasant’s claws to hold these Tahitian pearls. I had to teach myself taxidermy. I wired them all up into position and cured them in beds of salts for weeks in my mom’s cupboards. Her cleaner at the time opened these trays and thought we were practicing voodoo. She ran for the hills and never came back. So we nicknamed it the voodoo necklace.”

SHAUN LEANE

Pheasant Claw Tahitian Pearl Collar

Created by Shaun Leane for Alexander Mc Queen, the exotic Pheasant-claw & Tahitian Pearl collar, featured in 'What a Merry Go Round’ catwalk show, A/W 2001. A vertical choker band formed from chain-links, with no less than 59 pheasant claws and 23 cascading fringes of 645 Tahitian pearls in shades of ivory through grey and black. A stunning piece that formed part of the ‘Savage Beauty’ exhibition in 2015.

Blackthorn Rings

Sculpted into rings, thorny sterling silver stems, dewy black spinel leaves and the lustre of dark freshwater pearl “berries” - all in iconic Shaun Leane “handwriting. Blackthorn is a love letter to nature - and its breath-taking beauty. Midnight, black freshwater pearls nestle in the void, glistening and perfectly framed by shimmering thorny spikes. Not only a statement making ring but a provocative take on pearls.

Cherry Blossom Branch Earrings

Cherry Blossom is underpinned by a strong branch. Bulbous, fluid and organic, and softened by just the right number of blossoms, scintillated in diamonds. The silhouette celebrates the naked tree as much as the blossoms, showcasing its shape and size, how it might look in Winter, when it is preparing for the blossoming season ahead.

Thorned Pearl Shoulder Piece

The Thorned Pearl Shoulder Piece is one of Leane’s more provocative pieces, part of his Visionary collection, a body of work pushing boundaries in design, exploring scale & materials. Created by Shaun Leane for Alexander McQueen’s Catwalk show, Voss S/S 2001, the piece is wildly imaginative, featuring a network of exaggerated meandering silver thorns abundant with Tahitian pearls.

Thorned Pearl Shoulder Piece

“This piece was a statement for us as we believed that our jewels should reflect the persona of a person, not the wealth. This piece was sponsored by one of the world’s highest-quality pearl companies, so we used hundreds of Grade AAA Tahitian pearls. With these beautiful and classic pearls that one would normally mount in drapes of diamonds, we broke tradition by using this precious material to celebrate a concept of organic beauty and strength.”

SHAUN LEANE

Pearl Pairings

Pearls offer versatility, in purpose & appearance. Prone to reinvention and perfect for pairing, they work with precious metals and gemstones in all colours & sizes. Perfect for master jeweller Shaun Leane.

“The story of Blackthorn is the story of the Macgillycuddy Reeks mountains of Co Kerry, Ireland, where the mysterious hills menace with the dark beauty of lilac Blackthorn trees. Wondering the mountains alone, but with my Celtic ancestors, my admiration for wild flora was ignited once more. Blackthorn trees produce purple berries that blossom in the spring, and have a subtle scent; for me, this is the aroma of the Macgillycuddy Reeks.

I paid homage with this collection, creating complex, refined and harmonious pieces; sinuous silhouettes alive with shivering pavé. Sculpted into rings, curling into bracelets, or clavicle sweeping necklaces; thorny sterling silver stems, dewy black spinel leaves and the lustre of dark freshwater pearl “berries” - all in my iconic “handwriting”. This is my love letter to nature - and its breath-taking beauty.”

SHAUN LEANE

Pearl Thistle  Brooch

The ' Pearl Thistle' brooch was specially commissioned and worn by Lee Alexander McQueen to the Met Ball in 2006, to the opening of 'Anglomania' on May 4th. This brooch was worn in the traditional manner to hold the Clan McQueen tartan plaid in place on one shoulder. Created from dark oxidised silver, the spiked leaves are paved with Black Spinel, the talon-like claws enclosing four large dark-grey Tahitian pearls (Grade AAA).

"Lee asked me to design two brooches – one for him and the other for Sarah Jessica Parker, who accompanied him to the Met Gala dressed from head to toe in McQueen clan tartan. He wanted a traditional plaid brooch with a Celtic feel. I used the Scottish thistle emblem as my primary reference, the lustrous pearls gripped by sharp thorns, encased and surrounded by flowing leaf forms which were both beautiful and savage at the same time. I hand delivered them to New York where I was to join them for the gala. Lee said they were perfect.’

SHAUN LEANE

Cherry Blossom Ring

 
Part of a trio of ring designs featuring varying stages of flowering of the Sakura cherry blossom tree, entwined rose gold or silver branches give way to pearlescent blooms of ivory enamel. Brilliant-cut white diamond stamens and freshwater pearls add to the romance. Abundant, delicate and flourishing, pearls appear floating amongst the petals.

Cherry Blossom Cuff

Cherry Blossom jewellery blends figurative design with the fairy-tale spirit of ancient Japanese Sakura mythology. Sterling silver and rose gold vermeil fuse fine enamel and brilliant-cut diamonds, for contemporary takes on pearls. A statement cuff raps the wrist in romantic branches adorned with floating pearls & glistening enamels.

Blackthorn Hoop Earrings

 
Provocative Pearls indeed. Spiky sterling silver stems nestle scattered leaves of dewy black spinel and the lustre of glorious midnight pearls, to form dynamic hoops of moonlit flora. Exotic and bewitching, the colours and the textures in this convex-like setting hang beautifully from the ear, delighting the admirer from all angles. Pearls mean Power. Make a Statement.

Timeless Pearls

For the young apprentice restoring antique jewellery in Hatton Garden, Leane understood that pearls had a significant place in the jewellery wardrobe. But they were rarely seen on their own, or suspended, floating or embellished with precious metal. That is until Leane brought his Avant-Garde aesthetic to bear.

Pheasant-Claws & Pearls Epaulette 

 
Created by Shaun Leane for Alexander McQueen, the Pheasant-claws and pearls epaulette featured in 'What a Merry Go-Round' catwalk show, for A/W, 2001. Pheasant claws clasp two large Tahitian pearls in silver mounts, with cascading strands of 721 Tahitian pearls in shades of grey below, the curved shoulder piece with two chains to fix to the shoulder.

‘For this show we wanted to create jewellery that celebrated the 1920s - long ropes of pearls tied over flapper dresses. Our version however, took elements from both the sea and the sky – contrasting the two natural materials to produce something unique, elegant but provoking’.

SHAUN LEANE

Hooked Pearl Ring

This Hooked Pearl ring is about volume and presence. The airy thicket, organic shapes of precious metal, little structures protecting and framing this lustrous pearl. It feels light & encased, hard & soft, protective yet open. Above all, it feels natural and organic.  

The silhouette resembles a precious metal cage – through which you can admire and view the pearl – but you cannot reach it. The pearl is the centre of attention - peeping out, from its protected layer. It demonstrates the fragility and the power of nature.

Cherry Blossom Multi Strand Necklace & Bracelet

Romantic yet delicate enough for everyday wear, the pearl necklace is a timeless piece of exceptional artistry and quality. Our reinterpretation of the classic three-strand necklace features articulated clusters of diamond-set enamel florets, in dreamy ivories and pinks, with glistening silver accents. Inspired by the optimism and renewal of Japanese blossoms in springtime, Cherry Blossom celebrates organic shapes & the natural world.

Cherry Blossom Branch Pendant

Cherry Blossom is underpinned by a strong branch. Bulbous, fluid and organic, and softened by just the right amount of blossoms, scintillated in diamonds. The silhouette celebrates the naked tree as much as the blossoms, showcasing its shape and size, how it might look in Winter, when it is preparing for the blossoming season ahead. A poetic take on pearls.  

Cherry Blossom Iconic Box Set

 
Celebrating this fleeting beauty of nature, the box set offers great versatility for the collector. Containing the branch earrings which can be worn two ways owing to their clever construction, as a drop or simply as a pearl ear stud; the full flower ring which is no less than a delightfully bejewelled posy on your finger; and the showstopping, dramatically abundant large hook earrings. Everything you need in a box set.
1/5
Solitaire ring — 2009 — Gold, 7ct cognac diamond, black diamonds
Poison ring — 2005 — White gold, diamonds
Luna ring — 2009 — White gold, rubies, carved rhodolite
Tribal deco ring — 2008 — White gold, black diamonds, white diamonds, tsavorites, cabochon hematite & quartz
Tusk ring — 2019 — Gold, black diamonds, ceramic

Bespoke — Cocktail rings

The origins of the cocktail ring can be traced back to 1920s Prohibition era America, when women’s rights changed dramatically with freedom of expression being celebrated. These oversized rings are the epitome of over-the-top glamour and are designed and worn to attracted attention.

The Shaun Leane bespoke archive includes many examples - from the impressive Luna rings, generously set with large hand cut gemstones, to the Poison Heart and ceramic Tusk rings with ingenious hidden compartments. Each of these designs are sure to create a powerful statement wherever they are worn.

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