At Pavyllon, the Michelin-starred restaurant at Four Seasons Hotel London at Park Lane, the afternoon tea served in the Pavyllon Lounge from Friday through Sunday comes tinged with a French accent, courtesy of consulting chef Yannick Alléno. Savoury dishes on the menu include aged Comté cheese gougère and a Beaufort sandwich with pear and black pepper jam, while sweet options include chocolate tarte soufflé and brioche with praline rose and Isigny cream.
England being England, more traditional palates will be drawn to the roast chicken sandwich with mustard and celery and “So British” scones served with strawberry jam and Paddington-approved orange marmalade. Basking in the glow of the serene and sunlit lounge, one can easily see why, as Henry James mused in The Portrait of a Lady, “there are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea.” —Pavia Rosati
Here, the season’s best high jewellery comes to London for high tea at Pavyllon. Photographs by Serena Becker, set design by Johanne Mills, words by Laurie Brookins.
Messika
Messika’s Mille Feux High Jewelry necklace (pictured above) featuring diamonds in 18-karat white gold and a Jaune de Chrome dish handmade in Limoges are studies in French craftsmanship.
Bulgari
Bulgari’s Tubogas necklace—with a central rubellite, chrysoprase inserts, and diamonds set in 18-karat rose gold—shares the table with a cup of Glacee Rhubarb featuring rhubarb granita and aloe vera and olive oil compote. It’s on the afternoon tea menu at Pavyllon Lounge inside Four Seasons Hotel London at Park Lane.
Chanel
Chanel’s Soleil de Chanel transformable ring in 18-karat yellow and white gold embellished with diamonds, served alongside a raspberry macaron and tea from the British brand Jing.
Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpels
Setting the table with Cartier’s Clash de Cartier rings (in 18-karat rose gold set with agate, left, and chalcedony) and Van Cleef & Arpels’s Ludo bracelet in 18-karat yellow gold with sapphires, lapis lazuli, turquoise, and diamonds.
Temple St. Clair
A main dish: Temple St. Clair’s Octopus bracelet highlights an 11.18-carat Mexican fire opal surrounded by garnets, tourmalines, orange sapphires, rubies, and emeralds set in 18-karat gold.
Boucheron
Boucheron’s sun-inspired Serpent Bohème Solarité hoop earrings (with 380 round diamonds set in 18-karat white gold) are exquisite accompaniments to Pavyllon Lounge’s Granny Smith Pavlova with apple cream, apple compote, and dill gel in a meringue basket.
Mikimoto
Mikimoto’s conch pearl necklace—spotlighting a 6.30-carat conch pearl framed by diamonds and Akoya cultured pearls set in 18-karat white gold—glimmers beside tea from Jing served in Wedgwood china.
Pomellato
Twin confections: Pomellato’s Pentagoni necklace in 18-karat rose gold set with 1,035 white diamonds and 434 brown diamonds, and Pavyllon Lounge’s Strawberry Fontainebleau basket with fresh berries and almond cream.
Gabriel & Co.
Gabriel & Co.’s Pear Shape Ladies Ring set in 14-karat yellow gold is a colourful counterpoint to slices of Battenberg cake, a classic British checkerboard-pattern sponge cake.
David Morris
Raise a glass of Ruinart Champagne to David Morris’s Atlantis cuff embellished with pink and white diamonds set in 18-karat rose and white gold, served with lemon and Earl Grey madeleines.
MODEL: ROXANNE / BMA HANDS; MANICURIST: SAFFRON GODDARD; CASTING: VITTORIO VANZULLI / MODCAST
