de Grisogono Crazy Skull

de Grisogono Crazy Skull

A SUPERLATIVE CREATION THAT THUMBS ITS NOSE AT CONVENTIONS

de GRISOGONO celebrates life in the most irreverent and playful way, creating “Crazy Skull” a one-of-a-kind masterpiece that is the epitome of the art of watchmaking and jewellery. An exclusive bespoke art object that takes the best of both worlds and admirably showcases de GRISOGONO’s dual expertise.

This superlative creation plays with the fleeting nature of life and perfectly embodies the de GRISOGONO spirit. The skull theme has been celebrated in contemporary art and fashion world for years. Often perceived as a provocative symbol, it also has positive and thoughtful meanings such as change, courage, bravery, non-conformity and free-thinking. Above all, it invites people to live life to its fullest.

By proposing an endearing character, de GRISOGONO introduces an original and unique design. The talking piece asserts the brand’s audacity and excellence. Once again, by challenging the fundamentals of watchmaking and jewellery, by pushing boundaries and freeing himself of any constraints, Fawaz Gruosi demonstrates his ingenious and exuberant creativity; a non-traditional approach that speaks for itself.

Artfully designed and featuring rare and precious materials, “Crazy Skull” required almost a year of research and development and approximately 250 hours of intricate jewellery work in a subtle blend of know-how that lies within a close collaboration between skilled master watchmakers and top craftsmen such as gem-setters, goldsmiths, diamond-cutters and polishers.

This high-jewellery creation stands out for its sumptuous, eye-catching and playful style. By displaying time in an unconventional yet no less refined way, “Crazy Skull” perfectly embodies de GRISOGONO’s epicurean creativity.

Conversations with Fawaz Gruosi on "Crazy Skull"

“Skulls have been in fashion for years. “Crazy Skull” is a skull of its own, a technical prowess where every single detail makes its absolute perfection. Unique, precious, mischievous and bold, it stands as a happy face, conveying positivity and amusement. It dazzles with up to 45 carats of stones, from the skull to the tongue, some of them cut from raw stones to carve the nose and every single tooth. A limited edition, an Haute Couture timepiece that embodies the de GRISOGONO expertise and spirit.”

… and his creative process

“As it always does, my creative process starts with an idea running through my head then I make a design and start to look for the appropriate stones that ideally suit the creation. In order to unleash my creativity and make my dreams come true, I never take into account any commercial, financial or temporal constraints. Creativity is therefore a pure expression of passion”.

Craftsmanship

More than 20 years after propelling the black diamond to the forefront of the international jewellery scene, Fawaz Gruosi once again glamourises this mysterious gem called carbonado by dressing it up in the mischievous form of its "Crazy Skull". Since falling under its spell, he has heightened the appeal of the hitherto neglected black diamond, endowing it with the stature of a de GRISOGONO style signature and thereby opening the gateway to luxury for the stone he has always regarded as exceptional.

The "Crazy Skull" is also snow-set in white diamonds or rubies totalling approximately 23 carats and is embellished with a nose featuring a beautiful heart-cut white diamond of approximately 1.5 carats, which has been cut from a 3-carat square-cut raw stone.

As a tribute to the kinetic art, the passing of time elapses in dual time displays appearing through two magnetic eyes on which a spiraling setting of black and white diamonds subtly evokes movement.

Thanks to an intricate bespoke mechanism entirely devised and developed by the highly skilled de GRISOGONO master jewellers, the mouth is set with 7.70 carats of sparkling invisible-set white baguette-cut diamonds and mischievously reveals a precious tongue. When the lower jaw is triggered, the “Crazy Skull” sticks out its tongue set with 66 pink sapphires or rubies.

As always, de GRISOGONO is prepared to take however long is needed when it comes to going beyond limits and expressing creativity. It took 9 months to address this one-of-a-kind mouth mechanism. Finely, boldly and irreverently crafted in every detail, “Crazy Skull” features an original clasp made up of two bones set with diamonds or rubies displayed on a signature de GRISOGONO galuchat strap.

Once again, de GRISOGONO challenges conventions and brings its mischievous and crazy twist to the world of high jewellery watches.

Behind the scenes

Each stone’s place on the skull of the “Crazy Skull” has been marked out and guide holes have been drilled to create the pattern that will be set according to the snow-setting technique. Its jaw is made of an intricate bespoke mechanism entirely thought up and developed by the highly skilled de GRISOGONO master jewellers who devoted 9 months addressing its high complexity.

The “Crazy Skull” smiling mouth is set with an invisible setting of 7.70 carat sparkling white diamonds. The teeth are made of baguette-cut diamonds that have been set on a kind of denture entirely devised by the de GRISOGONO master jewellers and which is fixed inside the jaw.

The skull is snow-set either with more than 890 diamonds (white or black) or rubies totalling approximately 23 carats. This setting technique gives the gemsetter the greatest freedom of expression and combines more than 20 different sizes of stones to achieve the most harmonious possible composition.

The nose is made of an exclusive 1.5 carat heart-cut white diamond cut from a 3-carat squarecut raw stone.

When the lower jaw is triggered, the “Crazy Skull” sticks out its tongue set with 66 pink sapphires or rubies.

Its original clasp is made up of two bones snow-set with diamonds or rubies displayed on a signature de GRISOGONO galuchat strap.