Natori Launches Fine Jewelry With a High-Tech Spin

NEW YORK — It may be surprising that Josie Natori, a designer whose name many women hold dear as a trusted source for underpinnings, conceded one recent afternoon: “I don’t have any fetish for lingerie, believe it or not; zero. What I do have is a fetish for jewelry.” Over the last 42 years, Natori has built a house that balances refinement with the kind of nonchalance that comes from valuing a woman’s comfort and mobility. Now, the designer will translate that same attitude to fine jewelry — her first love — with a 300-piece collection that launches today. In doing so, Natori joins a burgeoning category that has been highlighted by analysts as a key growth area for the fashion industry. Recent indicators — like Compagnie Financière Richemont’s acquisition of Buccellati, Gucci’s push into the category with duty-free fine jewelry concessions in key airports worldwide and Saks Fifth Avenue’s unveiling last month of its new high jewelry department The Vault — point to jewelry’s new strength. Natori’s line, crafted of sterling silver and 14-karat gold with semiprecious and precious stones, will range in price from $300 for a sterling band ring to $45,000 for a necklace set with 750 diamonds. Bamboo cane

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