Uniting the know-how of French perfumery with the crafts of crystal making and fine jewellery to create an exquisite work of art, Henry Jacques’ striking High Jewellery collection, Les Renaissances, reinvents a fantasised golden age of Perfumery. It’s about a time when essences were still elixirs, reminiscent of faraway lands full of mystery.

The Renaissance collection dares to revive an opulence that we thought had been forgotten. Christophe Tollemer, the Maison’s creative director, took inspiration from portraits by the Italian Renaissance artist Bronzino (Agnolo di Cosimo), in which the subjects’ flamboyant gems, gold filigree and damask gowns contrast with their delicate, almost translucent skin.

Perfume and jewellery are closer than one may think. Think of a pristine gemstone – celebrated for its beauty and rarity. A perfectly crystallised form of minerals, it is taken from the earth then shaped and interpreted by master artisans into something greater and more beautiful than it was in its raw form.

Henry Jacques sees a similar miracle in perfume. Even in the simplest fragrance Henry Jacques uses almost a hundred components, and each must be in perfect balance, otherwise the clarity of the treasure is lost, just as the beauty of a gemstone might be lost if poorly cut or polished. In perfume, just as in jewellery, you must start with the purest, highest quality materials, and treat every element and carry out every process with the utmost respect and care. So, for Henry Jacques, it was natural to marry High Jewellery and Haute Parfumerie, allowing them to enhance each other in unique stories.

For Les Renaissances, hand-blown crystal flacons are enveloped in a beautiful mesh of fine gold and brought to life by precious stones. Two flacons feature golden lines that criss-cross repeatedly around the curves of the crystal, and the other four Renaissances flacons feature the extraordinary richness of golden lacework. The interlacing design is amplified by its reflection within the fragrance, creating an infinite dance of golden lines.

The addition of gemstones, in combination with the perfumes contained within are a dream for those with a passion for Haute Parfumerie. Gems were thoughtfully selected and associated with each perfume, their colours highlighting the natural glow of the essences.

Leonor is wrapped in plain gold lacework, representing purity – a simple but precious ornament for a floral fragrance that starts on Rose Damascenia, Orange Blossom and Geranium, enhanced by Saffron, Violet Leaves and Iris, and finishes on Dehen el Oudh, Ylang-Ylang and Musk. Portrayed by Bronzino, Leonor was the Grand Duchess of Tuscany; charming, charitable and influential, she personified an era of strength and stability for Tuscany.

Caroussel is adorned with violet-pink Rhodolite, a stone named from the Greek ‘rhodon’, meaning rose. Oriented towards beauty and the development of good taste Rhodolite is believed to stimulate the capacity for intuition, imagination and creativity. Its colour perfectly complements a floral and aldehydic fragrance that opens on aldehydic notes, blackcurrant and peach, followed by rose, heliotrope and lily of the valley, with White Musk, Iris and Amber closing off the scent.

Karavane is embellished with Citrine. A stone that is found in a variety of colours reminiscent of citrus fruit, it is used in crystal therapy to balance energy. This property echoes the spicy oriental fragrance that opens on Pepper, Ylang-ylang and Frankincense, followed by soft flowers such as Carnation, Jasmine and Rose, and finally Patchouli, Cistus-Labdanum and Amber.

Primavera is complemented by Peridot, a beautiful green gemstone prized since the earliest civilisations for its protective powers. Solar, floral and musky, the fragrance opens with Orange Blossom, Magnolia (Champaca) and Peach-Apricot. Then come notes of Freesia, Tiare Flower and Rose Damascenia, with a finish on Musk, Tuberose and Iris.

Notte is adorned with brown diamonds – their rare and unusual character echoed by the fragrance, which opens on Lemon, Mandarin and Freesia, is then enhanced by Green Leaves, Gardenia and Liquorice and finishes on warm Amber, Musk and Sandalwood.

Lune is embellished with pure White Diamonds, which complement the purity of the fragrance, composed of Rose, Jasmine and Verbena. Associated with eternity, diamonds are said to make their owners invincible – and for this reason, Napoleon always carried a large diamond with him.

Released in only six editions, the Perfumes of Les Renaissances are like extraordinary journeys in time and space. All is reinvented, blending Oriental notes with European ones, the mystical powers of gemstones with the magical allure of perfumes, bringing together past, present and future to create works of exceptional imagination and timeless beauty.