Jewelry News

Messika’s Voltage Collection Is Electric

The new High Jewelry from the French firm defines 21st century style

by Marion Fasel

As a rule, High Jewelry is all about tradition. Big houses with long storied histories always make the important work about callbacks to their greatest hits from the past.

Messika, on the other hand, has no history book to draw on. The French label that launched in 2005, added High Jewelry to the collection in 2014. From the beginning, Messika has been making a new kind of history with collections including Born To Be Wild and Once Upon A Time.

“It’s like a dream to create it,” explained Creative Director Valérie Messika when I interviewed her about the High Jewelry in 2018.  “I keep the same philosophy in mind of making pieces with as little metal as possible that look different than anything else that has been done in the past.”

The latest Messika High Jewelry collection named, Voltage, explores the concepts of motion, movement and shapes. Diamonds are set akimbo in oversized hoops. Giant gems float over the hand in double finger and open style rings. There are all kinds of earrings—pairs and single pieces—that are intended to be worn asymmetrically over the lobes.

In the tradition of old jewelry houses who were inspired by the likes of Jackie Kennedy, Grace Kelly or the Duchess of Windsor, Messika has muses. But they are modern muses.

Beyoncé showed her love for Messika when she made one of their High Jewelry necklaces part of the most iconic moment in her “Apeshit” video. It was the jewel she wore while performing with Jay Z in front of the Mona Lisa.

And Beyoncé was the first person to wear a piece from the Voltage collection. At the Super Bowl she paired the Collier Diamond Equalizer with a green Balenciaga pantsuit. If any evidence was needed, the ensemble, as well as the location, proved the modernity of Messika’s High Jewelry.

See highlights of other jewels in Messika’s Electric High Jewelry collection below.

Hoops from Messika’s Voltage collection set with a 5.06-carat emerald cut diamond and a 6.02-carat pear shape diamond.

A diamond ring from Messika’s Voltage collection set with a 10.19-carat fancy yellow pear shape diamond.

A ring from Messika’s Voltage collection set with two pear-shape diamonds weighing a total of 8.62-carats.

A ring from Messika’s Voltage collection set with a pear-shape diamond and tapered baguettes.

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