Spotlight on: Van Cleef and Arpels Pierres de Caractere 2013

This week the streets of Paris are teeming with fashion industry figures from all over the world. They are getting a first hand glance at the haute couture fashions and accessories slated to hit the fashion world in the autumn and winter of 2014.

The French maison of high end jewelry Van Cleef & Arpels, one of the world's most revered and renowned, will continue with a tradition they begin in 2006. Every year since then, the brand has used the opportunity of Paris Fashion Week to introduce a collection of their finest gemstones.

This year, the maison of fine jewelry launched the beginning of Paris Fashion Week with a collection of especially rare and colorful gemstones. Van Cleef & Arpels has prided themselves on sourcing the finest stones for over a century. They do not focus only on color, cut, purity and carat size. The brand's gemologists also consider the spiritual quality of stones and the emotions they are associated with. These stones are called Pierres de Caractere and are the basis of every piece of their jewelry.

One of the highlights in the collection is the stunning Van Cleef and Arpels Pièrres de Caractère Oriental Princess necklace. The white gold necklace is dripping with round and pear-shaped diamonds. Forty carats of Mozambican rubies grace the center and then delicately surround a pear-shaped one D FL type 2A diamond weighing 8.07 carats.

Another remarkable piece in the collection is the Van Cleef & Arpels Caractèrs Precious Light tassel earrings. They are fashioned of both white and yellow gold. Round and baguette-cut colorless diamonds dangle from two emerald-cut fancy vivid yellow diamonds. Each of the yellow diamonds weighs 4.52 carats and form the center from which the diamond tassels cascade.

One of the most admired pieces in the collection is the Pièrres de Caractèrs Ancolie Prècieuse white gold ring. Sparkly round and pear-shaped diamonds form an alternating pattern around a cushion-cut D IF type 2A diamond of 9.03 carats. Calibrated rubies form a delicate edging around the diamonds.