Pharell Williams spins many plates. The producer-stroke-rapper-stroke-creative-designer is now dipping his toe in jewellery design. This is not a newfound passion - he has an affinity for natural diamonds, and in 2022 he auctioned some of his most personal pieces, selling over $5.25 million worth. He would often collaborate with Jacob ‘The Jeweller’, an American jewellery and watch designer, who would create pieces based on Pharell’s ideas. Over a hundred pieces later, he sat with Jacob in an interview with Joopiter and discussed a specific 14 carat gold pendant showing a waving astronaut. The creative director for Louis Vuitton’s menswear allowed himself to be vulnerable. “Let the symbol be an astronaut because if man can make it to the moon then not only me, but my friends too, can make it out of the hood.” His jewellery is infused with passion, and this new collaboration with Tiffany is no exception to the rule. He explained that “jewellery is the punctuation mark of a person,” suggesting that an individual isn’t truly finished without their signature jewellery. The feeling is familiar to all ring-wearers; a day when you forget to wear them leaves you feeling naked and incomplete.
Tiffany Titan appeared in the US market in may, but this June it is going global. Inspired by the mythological sea-god Poseidon, it features a motif of sharp edges echoing a trident accented by soft, curved chain links. This contrast is designed to express fearless individuality, hinging on its dialogue between proportions and balance. Some of the diamonds used are reverse set, encouraging the wearer to appreciate their individual beautiful qualities, no matter how unconventional. It challenges us to rethink conventional beauty and appreciate differences. Pharell explained to Tiffany that the choice to use black titanium was no coincidence, acting as a “physical manifestation of beauty in Blackness,” according to the Tiffany website.
Jacob described Pharrell as a trendsetter - he influenced oversized cuban chains in the late 90s and early 2000s. There is an inextricable link between hip-hop and jewellery. He explained to Joopiter that “I was young and it was really all about the flex.” In 2005, Jacob and Pharrell collaborated on the ‘N.E.R.D chain’, a pavé linked, 3-tone gold chain studded with coloured diamonds with its final price listed on the Joopiter website as $2,184,000. It was a revolutionary piece in the hiphop world - coloured diamonds were not typically used before.
His maturation is seen from these nineteen carefully considered pieces that prioritise storytelling and design rather than “flex”. Though, prices span from $3400 to $55,000, so it still packs a punch. His dedicated, multifaceted approach to his works is worth praise, Jacob going so far as to say to Joopiter “he is gifted by god,” perhaps by Poseidon himself.
