Paris, France — She was a nymph named Arethusa.  She followed the goddess of hunting Artemis who would save her from the pursuits of the River God Alpheus — who had fallen in love with her — by turning her into an underground spring that gushed forth as a fountain. But Alpheus was determined and turned himself into a river so as to fuse with the spring. The nymph is also the inspiration for the latest collection of pretty in pink jewelry from the house of Lalique. The Aréthuse Rose Nebula collection is ethereal, celestial, a world inspired by a water nymph. 

And the collection is also an ode to water worlds. The “Masque de Femme” (Mask of a Woman) motif, created by René Lalique in 1935 to adorn a fountain, embodies the imagination of its creator, who was fascinated by women and nature. Somewhere between classic and avant-garde design, it reveals the face of a mysterious woman, Arethusa, surrounded by aquatic fauna. This is the face of Arethusa in pink crystal. The gold-plated Aréthuse Rose Nebula collection includes a ring, earrings, pendants with medallions of various sizes, a long necklace, a classic bracelet, a bangle bracelet and cufflinks. The collection is also available in clear crystal on silver. Released in the summer of 2024, it is a collection for all seasons. 

Water themes were  very much on the agenda in the Art Nouveau movement with  nymphs, fish and dragon flies all being popular motifs that René Lalique embraced in his designs. The house of Lalique was founded in 1888 by René Lalique and the house remains one of the crown jewels of France’s crystal glass industry. Mr. Lalique was a pioneer of modern jewelry before becoming a master glassmaker. 

Lalique’s Aréthus Nebula Collection is also available in clear crystal on silver pictured above the long necklace and the ring. Photo:©Lalique SA Handout via The Gourmet Gazette

And the house remains a symbol of unique knowhow and art and design excellence. The Lalique manufacture is in the town of Wingen-sur-Moder in Alsace where the first stoves were fired in 1922 and it remains to this day the only place in the world where Lalique crystal is made. Lalique know-how has received the prestigious label of Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant (Living Heritage Enterprise, or EPV), a label of distinction awarded by the French State to recognize French firms for the excellence of their traditional and industrial skills.©Trish Valicenti for The Gourmet Gazette.  www.lalique.com/en