Reasons To Be Cheerful

Lovely things put a smile on my face. Here's three images that have had that effect today.


This photo, advertising Boucheron's latest pieces, dropped into my inbox first thing. Decadent, indulgent, delicious. Especially noteworthy is the 'cupcake' ring on the model's forefinger.



Then the ultra-talented Alice Cicolini – author, jeweller, lecturer, curator – emailed me to say she thought I'd like this crown. She was so right.

Dating from the 1st Century AD, it's one of the exhibits in Afghanistan: Crossroads of the Ancient World, an exhibition which arrives at the British Museum on March 3rd.

It's thought to have belonged to a nomadic princess and is constructed from 12 separate pieces so that it could be folded away and transported easily. As Alice put it - a great example of early flat-packing.



And here's a beautiful piece by Alice herself. The Lotus Pendant features a faceted ruby and 23.5ct yellow gold beads, and the pendant itself is decorated with finely carved recycled ebony and meenakari enamelling - a technique known in Europe as champlevé enamelling... *sigh*...