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Flapper Girls. Speakeasies. Cinema and Hollywood glitz. The roar of the Machine Age. These were the emblems of an era that swept aside the rigid formalities of the past and catapulted society into a dazzling modern age.
Design Periods
The Art Deco Era, spanning the 1920s and 1930s, was a time of global transformation. From Charles Lindbergh’s ground-breaking transatlantic flight to the rise of radio, this was a period defined by a total reimagining of modern life.
The catastrophic impact of the First World War had a seismic effect on art and design, and jewellery was certainly no exception. The ethereal diamond ‘Garland’ sprays of the Edwardian Era and the delicate, naturalistic enamels of the Art Nouveau quickly became relics of a world annihilated in the trenches of the Western Front. As the 1920s began, a sense of restlessness and a hunger for change spread rapidly throughout Britain, Europe and America. It was only inevitable that this would be articulated in new and daring artistic forms and styles that would lead to a Golden Age of jewellery.
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The Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes 1925
In 1925, Paris held a landmark exhibition which both gave rise to a new international style and, ultimately, provided its name: Art Deco. With its streamlined geometry, clean lines and audacious use of colour, Art Deco emerged not just as a style, but as a manifesto for modernity.
This exhibition played a pivotal role in showcasing the latest jewels and exhibitors included Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Boucheron and Chaumet. These jewellers-turned-artists championed a fresh vision, where sleek, angular designs replaced the ornate flourishes of the Belle Epoque.
In this brave new world of design, jewellery was no longer just an accessory; it was a statement, a symbol, and above all, a work of art where form and function were thrust to the forefront.
A Bold New Style
While Art Nouveau favoured jewellery that celebrated the fluidity of precious metals and enamels, Art Deco focused on the dazzling allure of gemstones. Large, translucent stones such as amethyst, citrine, and aquamarine became centrepieces, contrasted with boldly coloured opaque materials like onyx, jade, lapis lazuli, and coral
Platinum, prized for its malleability and understated elegance, served as the perfect medium, allowing jewellers to craft intricate, three-dimensional settings that showcased the interplay of colour and form.
The 1920s were dominated by harmonies in black and white with pieces featuring cubes and blocks of onyx set against geometric clusters of diamonds enjoying immense popularity.This geometric style drew its inspiration from Cubism, the avant-garde movement rooted in reason and mathematics.
Cubism’s emphasis on order and symmetry inspired a new wave of fashionable gemstone cuts: baguette, emerald, step, and marquise. Baguette-cut diamonds, with their clean, linear facets, seamlessly slotted into angular platinum frames, providing a striking contrast to similarly shaped calibre-cut emeralds, rubies, and sapphires. These pieces reflected not only a mastery of technique but also a modernist ethos of balance and precision.
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Eastern Influences
In 1922, Howard Carter’s discovery of King Tutankhamun’s tomb unleashed a wave of ‘Egyptomania’, captivating the imagination of designers across Europe. Parisian jewellers eagerly embraced the motifs, symbols, and colours of ancient Egypt. Hieroglyphics, pyramids, scarabs, and the eye of Horus became the height of fashion, reinterpreted with Art Deco’s distinctive style. New combinations of materials such as lapis lazuli with gold, cornelian with turquoise and rock crystal emerged, echoing the opulence of the Age of the Pharaohs.
Cartier achieved acclaim for its ‘Tutti Frutti’ jewellery, a vibrant fusion of old Mughal gemstones that once adorned the turbans of Eastern emperors with contemporary design principles. Persian influences also took root, with designers borrowing motifs from carpets and miniatures, while the sophisticated lacquer work inspired by the Far East replaced the enamel of the Art Nouveau.
The Influence of Women
Another vitally important change was the new found sense of freedom and independence gained by women in society. During the war, women had not only stepped into the workforce but also taken on the mantle of the breadwinner, while their husbands fought at the Front.
This was a time of female emancipation; hemlines were up, hair was cropped short and corsets were abandoned. Long necklaces of beads and pearls known as sautoirs plunged down to the navel and the bobbed hairstyles and drop-waisted dresses demanded earrings to match.
Art Deco earrings were elongated and made to swing with every move. They were often adorned with slender diamond shapes and fringed with smaller diamond drops that swayed like the hemline of a flapper’s dress, catching the light as women danced in the smoky jazz clubs and speakeasies of the day.
With the debut of cocktail parties into society, there was now a need for a new style of ring that would provide an eye-catching look for such an occasion: The cocktail ring. These rings were symbolic of more than just wealth and status. Women had been offered the vote, were driving automobiles, and newer liberal fashions allowed more freedom of activity, including golfing, sailing, dancing to name just a few! Often featuring a large central gemstone, with diamond accents, dress rings were designed with this new lifestyle of leisure in mind.
With colour playing an important role in these pieces, a wide variety of more unusual gems can be seen, including spinels, coral, and aquamarine. Also popular in Art Deco jewellery was the use of onyx, which was often seen paired with diamonds to create stunning monochrome pieces.
Bracelets too embraced a new kind of luxury. The line bracelet, dazzling with baguette-cut diamonds, rubies, and sapphires set in channel arrangements, became a must-have piece of the era. Cartier and Chaumet popularised wide flexible bracelets with intricate designs of different diamond cuts and shapes arranged in sophisticated compositions.
Art Deco at Berganza
Today, a century later, the allure of Art Deco jewellery remains undimmed, a timeless testament to an era of creativity and optimism. Bold geometric shapes, audacious colour palettes and the use of unconventional materials – hallmarks of this revolutionary period – continue to captivate enthusiasts and collectors alike.
Here at Berganza, we are proud to house Europe’s largest collection of genuine Art Deco jewels. Each piece tells a story of daring designers, meticulous craftsmanship and the glamour of a bygone age. These jewels are more than adornments; they are investments in beauty and heritage. Book an appointment with us today and step into the world of Art Deco, where elegance and innovation converge in every glittering masterpiece.
Related Article: Learn about Art Deco Jewellery Designs
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