1930s Art Deco Vintage Antique Engagement Rings White Gold Geometric Square Frame Setting
A Guide to Art Deco Jewellery
The flamboyant and dazzlingly bold fashion of Art Deco jewellery perfectly reflects an era that refused to look back, only frontwards.
After the devastations of World War I, the Art Deco era – an intoxicating cyclone of hedonistic living and giant leaps in innovation – blew in, lifting everybody's spirits. This period is widely remembered for its cocktail-sipping, fringe-shaking flappers, its jazz and its Great Gatsby-esque lifestyle. It's also known for its spectacular, bold jewellery. In fact, the styles of Art Deco jewellery are still widely imitated today.
Photo: Hulton Annal/Getty Images
Women's mode dramatically changed in the 1920s. The new, hands-on roles required from women in the absenteeism of their wartime heroes had transformed fashion from the relative formality and restriction of the Edwardian era and the state of war time years to fun, elegant, and practical styles (think Coco Chanel) that highlighted the freedom of modernistic women and allowed them to participate in activities that were previously for men simply. Corsets disappeared, hemlines grew shorter. This liberty and sense of fun was reflected in the new, exciting jewellery styles and fashions.
Innovation
The term "Art Deco" comes from theExposition International des Arts D̩coratifs et Industriels Modernes, held in Paris in 1925 Рan of import pattern exhibition which was largely dedicated to the art of jewellery. The primal emphasis of the exhibition was on the association of fine art and modern industry.
The Art Deco menstruation was a time of cutting border manufacture techniques which brought u.s.a. the post-obit jewellery innovations:
Platinum
Following the terminate of the state of war, platinum was back in play, equally well as a new, less expensive material called osmior, plator or platinor. These strong materials led to light, blusterous gemstone designs without as much metal required.
Invisible Settings
Jewellery giant, Van Cleef & Arpels, developed the significant 'mystery setting' or serti invisible ("invisible setting") which immune gems to be mounted in such a way that no metal was visible.
Jewel Cutting
Gem cutters developed ways to cut and shape gems in new and exciting ways, allowing for the glittering 'mosaic' designs of the era.
Lacquer
Enamelling – which was labour-intensive and expensive – was replaced past sophisticated lacquer techniques from the Far East. Chinese workers who had lacquered airplan propellers during WWI began to smoothen and lacquer jewellery instead.
Synthetic Materials
Synthetic materials such as Bakelite became widely available and were used to imitate gemstones, bister, woods and bone and other natural materials.
Cultured Pearls
A procedure was developed to 'cultured' or 'cultivated' pearls past implanting pearl-bearing oysters with female parent-of-pearl chaplet. Cultured pearls were produced in abundance and these stones consequently became an iconic jewel for the 1920s.
Geometrical Design
The jewellery designers of the Art Deco era were nifty to break away from the fluid lines and natural themes of Art Nouveau jewellery. Instead they embraced modernism and the advances in technical innovation and machinery. A new genre of pattern was born – assuming, geometric shapes with clean lines and symmetry. This style of design – also called "manner moderne" – is instantly recognisable and much coveted (and copied) today.
The term "Cubism" was often used to depict jewellery of this era because of the angles, geometric lines and figurative representations employed.
International Influence
Cultures effectually the world influenced the Art Deco era and introduced new jewellery trends, from Far Eastward Asian motifs and Indian gemstone-carving to exotic, new colourful materials such equally lapis lazuli, turquoise and agate.
The 'Egyptian Revival' stands out in particular. Exciting new archeological discoveries in Egypt, primarily the tomb of Tutankhamen, had a huge influence on Art Deco design motifs. New combinations of materials – lapis lazuli with gold, cornelian with turquoise – were inspired by the Pharaohs. Lotus blossoms, scarabs, pyramids and the eye of Horus are among the aboriginal Egyptian motifs that can be spotted in Art Deco jewellery.
Ii Schools of Design
Collaboration between the different blueprint arts was commonplace in the Art Deco era and jewellery designs were often created by and with artists who were not 'jewellers' by trade. Architects, sculptors, painters, jewellers and other design artists enriched and inspired each other's disciplines enormously throughout the Art Deco era. The result was a grouping of jewellery designers known as the bijoutiers-artistes, who placed more emphasis on pattern than intrinsic value. They used gemstones every bit 'punctuation' rather than the focus of the piece.
The bijoutiers-joailliers at the well-known Parisian jewellery houses, on the other hand, were creating geometric designs from tightly packed, calibré cut precious gemstones (always coloured) to surround a middle stone or flank diamonds.
Many unusual diamond cuts were developed in this fourth dimension, including trapeze, half-moon and triangle cuts. They drew inspiration from the Far East and India, carving designs into gemstones and mixing precious stones with coral, lapis lazuli, agate, turquoise and stone crystal quartz.
Art Deco Jewellery Styles
Earrings
Early Fine art Deco earrings were long and frail, exposed by the new, curt hairstyles. They tended to be geometrically shaped, with diamonds and perhaps a large, coloured gemstone. The late 1920s brought with it monochrome styles which showed off the new diamond cuts. In that location was a fashion for earrings which doubled up as brooches.
The 1930s saw a transformation in earring styles and they bounced support to the ear lobe, onto which they were frequently clipped. Large, natural shapes like shells, leaves and flowers were popular.
Necklaces
The icon necklace for the 1920s was the sautoir. These were extremely long and oftentimes featured a tassel or a pendant. Long strands of pearls and beads were worn whatever which fashion effectually the neck, down the front or dorsum depending on the style of the dress. Pearl necklaces were widely worn during the day and evening. They were often fabricated with cultivated pearls – a brand new innovation – and flattering confronting all shades of skin.
Shorter necklaces were oftentimes made with gemstone beads or past mixing diamonds and carved gemstones. They would typically stop in a plaque-shaped pendant which could sometimes detach for utilise as a brooch, for example.
Another popular style was a multi-strand pearl or gemstone bead necklace with gemstone plaques on either side, in a festoon effect. Spectacular bib necklaces boasted impressive diamonds, rubies, emeralds and sapphires.
Pendants
Pendants were a pregnant feature of Fine art Deco jewellery. Designs were often geometric and featured patterns and materials influenced by Chinese, ancient Egyptian and Indian cultures.
In line with the tubular, fringed dresses of the time, tassels or fringes often swung from the bottom of the pendants. Pendants would hang from bondage – often interspersed with gemstones and pearls – or from silk cords. They would hang at various lengths, depending on the apparel they were accompanying.
Rings
Art Deco rings are bold and beautiful. You oft meet large, emerald and step cutting gemstones surrounded by smaller, tightly packed diamonds.
Cabochon cut coloured gemstones were popular, every bit was filigree work, where handcrafted threads of precious metal were used to create intricate designs. Information technology is about impossible to replicate the crisp, refined filigree work from the 1920s today considering about rings are made through the employ of wax moulds.
Calibre cut stones and pavé ring settings were also typical of this era, resulting in designs which were tightly packed with gemstones cut to fit together perfectly, with little or no metal showing.
Stacked bands set with gemstones were pop, every bit were rings designed to emulate the stacked ring consequence. Cartier'south three-band 'rolling ring' was created in this menstruum and the way is however extremely popular today.
Bracelets
Art Deco bracelets combined all the styles of the era Рgeometric patterns, pav̩ settings, carved gemstones and other, less precious materials. Narrow bangles were stacked and jingled along to the jazz music of the twenty-four hours, as did the pop charm bracelets.
Later in the period, bracelets became wider. Generous, pictorial 'strap' bracelets told entire stories, using symbolism or carved gems. Cuff bracelets and styles onto which the versatile 'clip brooch' could be attached became popular at this time.
Hair Ornaments
English court etiquette dictated that tiaras be worn and and so they were produced with Art Deco design motifs and techniques for state events. Other than that, shorter hairstyles meant that tiaras were replaced with bandeaus, which were worn further down, on the forehead. Ofttimes these bandeaus converted to necklaces or bracelets.
Brooches & Pins
Brooches and pins were extremely popular in the Art Deco period and were worn on every item of clothing, including hats. All manner of eye-catching Art Deco motifs, techniques and styles were employed. In the 1930s, clip brooches became popular and were often worn in pairs which may or may non take had pins or frames allowing them to be worn as i larger brooch or separately either side of a dress, for case.
Art Deco Highlights from our Collection
Source: https://www.antiquejewellerycompany.com/a-guide-to-art-deco-jewellery/