The Art Deco Jewelry Story

with No Comments

The Art Deco movement first started in France before World War 1. The design of many everyday things that include fashion, buildings, ocean liners, trains, furniture, cars, Art Deco jewelry and many everyday items that included vacuum cleaners and radios.

This Mackay Emerald Necklace by Cartier, 1930 using emerald, diamond and platinum is now in the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, USA

The name came from the Exposition internationale des arts décoratifs et industriels modernes (better known as the International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts) that was shortened to Arts Décoratifs and hence Art Deco. During this period design moved toward a modern style and Art Deco epitomized glamour, Luxury, exuberence and a faith in the progress of technology and social community.
Two designers stand out during the 1020s and 1930s and these are René Lalique and Cartier, they made a move away from diamonds as a dominant part of jewelry design and introduced a greater selection of colorful gemstones into their Art Deco designs, such as rubies, small emeralds, and sapphires. The settings themselves were a focus and became more elegant and elaborate where less expensive components were used such as enamel, glass, horn and ivory. Diamonds themselves moved away from the traditional way of cutting where they were cut into small matchsticks and rods.
Cartier combined colorful other gemstones with diamonds that were cut into the form of leaves, fruit or flowers, to make rings, brooches, pendants, earrings, and clips.
Many design from the Far East were incorporated into this new Art Deco Jewelry style using stones such as coral, lapis-lazuli, onyx, and other beautifully colorful stones.
Into the 21st century and the popular Art Deco Style of Jewelry is as elegant, sought after, and cherished as when it first appeared.

Here are a few of my favorite finds in Art Deco Jewelry earrings: