Boghossian’s royal tour

Albert Boghossian first visited the Taj Mahal at the age of 18. He had just started working in his family’s jewellery business and remembers being mesmerised by the beauty and scale of the landmark. It was at that point he decided that there was no higher form of art than architecture: “I have always been amazed by how the artisans were able to create beauty out of tough materials like stone.” 

Gold, yellow diamond, prasiolite and rubellite Winter Roses bracelet, POA

Gold and diamond Golden Dragon bracelet, POA

Palaces, historically the ultimate display of wealth and power, are often the most extravagant expressions of this art form. “They are architecturally significant because of their history but also the captivating and contrasting colours that you see in them,” says Boghossian. “They project so much intricacy, balance, artisanship and fantasy. I thought that all of this could be beautifully translated into jewellery – it’s such rich material to work with.” 

White- and yellow-gold and diamond Pianoforte Melody earrings, POA

Gold, yellow diamond and green tourmaline Verdant Waves necklace, POA

Boghossian’s high-jewellery collection, Palace Voyages, draws on some of the world’s most breathtaking residences. The Grand Palace in Bangkok inspires a bracelet made with kite-, trapezoid- and square-shaped diamonds; Potsdam’s Sanssouci informs a necklace with a cobweb of square-cut diamonds; and Granada’s Alhambra sees a wooden ceiling inspiring a necklace that fades from white to yellow diamonds. “From the City Palace in Jaipur, we picked two doors: one that had a wonderful mix of colours that we interpreted into a necklace with a daring mix of intense yellow diamonds and green tourmalines, and the second, which has this incredible floral pattern, became a bracelet with carved rubellites on top of prasiolites.” 

Gold and diamond Seven Realms necklace, POA

Gold, yellow diamond, aquamarine, turquoise, chrysoprase and red spinel Amba Arches cuff, POA

The voyage through countries is also a tribute to Boghossian’s own family history: Ovaness Boghossian set up the business in Armenia in 1868 before it moved to Aleppo, Syria, in the early 20th century, and then to Beirut, Lebanon, where Albert, the current CEO, and his brother Jean were born. They finally settled in Geneva, where Dalia, Ralph and Roberto Boghossian, the sixth generation of jewellers, run the business alongside Albert. 

The collection took four years to complete and encompasses 70 pieces. “Almost all of these were complicated to make – everything demanded special cutting, special carving, special inlay work – nothing was easy,” adds Boghossian. “It really was a work of art.”