Meet the beetles

In ancient Egypt, scarab beetles symbolized resurrection; in the hands of the Parisian jeweller Lorenz Bäumer, the sacred insects have been reborn as luminous brooches with an alluring secret: Press on a gemstone near each beetle’s head, and the jewelled wings spring open to emit a subtle fragrance. Bäumer spent months experimenting with a porous metal that can hold a few drops of perfume, and he eventually used the material to form the bodies of his exotic designs. 

The brooches – only three were created – display brilliant gemstones and bright enamel details, which mimic the insect’s metallic sheen. The modern scarabs feature diamonds, sapphires, tsavorites. fire opals, amethysts, black and white diamonds. Bäumer drew inspiration from ancient designs, particularly scarab jewellery he saw in a Cairo museum a few years ago. But for the designer, the actual insects hold their own allure: “They are so beautiful that you think someone designed and painted them,” he says. “It’s hard to believe they are natural.”