 The word Jewelry is derived from the Latin word jocale, meaning "plaything," and
the word jewel, which was anglicised in the 13th century from the Old
French word jouel. The word "jewelry" (spelled Jewellery
in European English) is used to describe any piece of precious material
(gemstones, noble metals, etc.) used to adorn one's self.
Jewelry in its most basic form has been used since the dawn of of
man's use of tools and clothing. Until recently, researchers had believed
that the ability to use symbolism did not develop until humans had
migrated to Europe 35,000 to 40,000 years ago. Recently discovered
mollusk or nassarius kraussianus shells that had been perforated to
be made into beads are now thought to be some of the oldest known man-made
Jewelry. This mollusk jewelry was discovered in a cave in Blombos,
South Africa, and dates back to the Middle Stone Age 100,000 years
ago. Other readily available natural materials used to make the first
jewelry include animal teeth, bone, various types of shells, carved
stone and wood. Most likely, jewelry started out as a functional item
used to pin articles of clothing together and was later adapted to
a purely aesthetic adornment.
Used as a symbol of wealth and/or status as well as to protect against
harm, ward of evil, and heal ailments, jewelry was used to adorn nearly
every part of the body and has been made out of almost every material
known to mankind.
Prolific jewelry making began with the ancestors of Homo Sapiens,
the Cro-Magnons over 40,000 years ago when they began to migrate from
the Middle East to Europe. Cro-Magnons eventually replaced the Neanderthals
as the dominant species. Jewelry from that period includes crudely
fashioned necklaces and bracelets made of bone, teeth, mother-of-pearl,
shells and stone strung together with a piece of twine or animal sinew.
The earliest signs of metallurgy, using copper to make jewelry, was
seen around 7,000 years ago.
Ancient Egyptian Jewelry
The first evidence of jewelry making along the Nile Delta in ancient
Egypt dates from 3,500-5,000 years ago [2]. Gold was the metal of choice
for the Ancient Egyptians and was used extensively throughout the several
thousand year history of pharaonic Egypt. There were thirty one dynasties
of rulers, from the reign of the kings Serket I and Narmer in 3000
BC. (the Early Dynastic Period of Egypt 1st to 2nd Dynasties), through
the Middle Kingdom of Egypt (11th to 14th Dynasties), to the New Kingdom
of Egypt (18th to 20th Dynasties), to Graeco-Roman Egypt (332 BC to
639 AD), to Ptolemaic Egypt (323 BC to 30 BC) and finally Roman Egypt
(30 BC to 639 AD). Jewelry symbolized the glory, power and religious
dominance in the community throughout these periods.
In ancient Egypt, gem carvings (glyptic art) in the form of scarab
beetles and other sacred objects was worn for its religious significance.
Both men and women wore jewelry as protection from evil and as a symbol
of wealth and status as well as for adornment. Jewelry was worn by
wealthy Egyptians in life, but it was also worn by them in death in
order to assist in the journey to, and serve as comforts in, the afterlife.
Unfortunately, tomb-robbers plundered much of Egypt's ancient treasures,
some of which was recycled by successive Kings for their own use in
the afterlife.
Ancient Egyptian Jewelry - Tutankhamun
Although many treasures were lost to tomb-robbers and piracy, one
insignificant king's treasure remained intact and unmolested for thousands
of years. That king was the now famous Pharaoh Tutankhamun, son of
either Amenhotep III or Akhenaten. His short reign as Pharaoh began
at age 9. Although he ruled for only 9 years (1336 BC to 1327 BC),
he was able to amass a legacy of wealth and treasure that lives on
today. Given the size and scope of his wealth it is hard to imagine
the vast wealth accumulated by long reining kings like Seti I or Ramesses
II.
Ancient Egyptian Jewelry - Tutankhamun
 Although
the Egyptians had access to precious gemstones, they preferred the
colors they could create in glass over the natural colours of stones.
For nearly each gemstone, there was a glass formulation used by the
Egyptians to mimic its color. The coloration of the jewelry was very
important to the Egyptians, and different colors had different meanings.
Green colored jewelry symbolized fertility and the new growth of crops.
In the Egyptian Book of the Dead it was stated that the necklace of
the God Isis around a mummy's neck must be red to satisfy Isis's
need for blood.
Most of the raw materials used for jewelry were found in or near
Egypt, but silver and lapis lazuli were imported from other lands such
as Afghanistan. Queen Cleopatra's favourite gem, the emerald, was mined
around the Red Sea. Scarab or beetle-shaped amulets were associated
with rebirth because dung beetles are noted for rolling dung into spherical
balls, which are used as brooding chambers from which newborn beetles
emerge.
Mesopotamian Jewelry
Jewelry production was a significant craft in the cities of Sumer
(Assyria), in southern Mesopotamia, and Akkad, in northern Mesopotamia.
Ur (2600 BC to 2400 BC) was inhabited in the earliest stage of village
settlement in southern Mesopotamia, known as the the Ubaid period.
Located near the original mouth of the Euphrates and Tigris rivers,
Ur was an ancient city of Sumer in southern Mesopotamia.
In Assyria (the southern half of Mesopotamia aka Babylonia), men
and women both wore extensive amounts of jewelry, including amulets,
ankle bracelets, cylinder seals, and multi-strand necklaces. The jewelry
of this period was manufactured from thin gold metal leaf set with
brightly-colored stones such as agate, lapis, carnelian, and jasper,
as shown in the examples below from Ur.
The art of elaborate gem carving known as glyptic art was popularized
through the use of gemstones as signets or personal seal-stones. Glyptic
carvings were used on ringstones commonly worn by women or children.
Mesopotamian Jewelry - Ur in Sumer
In Mesopotamian jewelry design, preferred shapes and motifs included
leaves, cones, spirals, and bunches of grapes. Jewelry was created
both for human use and for adorning statues and idols. Mesopotamian
jewelers and craftsmen employed a wide variety of metalworking techniques,
such as cloisonné, engraving, granulation, and filigree.
Jewelry of Ancient Greece
Many of the artistic skills that the ancient Greeks or Mycenae possessed
were probably inherited from artisans of the Minoan civilization that
preceded the Mycenae. The Minoans lived on the islands of Crete and
Thera (Santorini), and in Anatolia from 2700 BC to 1600 BC (early Bronze
Age), when their culture abruptly ended, possibly brought on by the
devastating volcanic eruption of Thera's Stroggilí volcano in
the 1620s B.C., and the earthquakes or tsunamis that followed. Within
the ruins of Minoan cities, archeologists have found bronze and copper
ingots as evidence of advanced smelting techniques.
In the 2nd millennium B.C., Mycenae was one of the major centers
of the Greek civilization. The wealth and power of Mycenae was well
documented in Homer's Iliad, where King Agamemnon led a Greek army
against Troy. The solid gold funeral mask known as the "Mask of
Agamemnon" was found at Mycenae by German treasure hunter Heinrich
Schliemann, in 1876.
Early Mycenaean Age Greek jewelry consisted of beads shaped like
shells and animals. The Greeks started using gold and gems in their
jewelry around 1,400 BC (late Bronze Age). By 300 BC, they had mastered
the use of colored gemstones such as amethyst, pearls and emeralds
in their jewelry, carving and engraving intricate patterns into the
gemstones. Ivory carvings, popularized by the Minoans, were also a
popular motif of the period.
Mycenae Jewelry
The Greeks where the first to use cameos, creating them from a cream,
brown, and striped pink form of agate stone called Indian Sardonyx.
Early Greek jewelry employed simple designs and workmanship which made
them distinct from the ornate styles of other cultures (above). As
time progressed, their designs, techniques and range of materials grew
in complexity (below). The laurel wreath was used as a crown of honor
for heroes and scholars (below middle). The laurel leaf was sacred
to Apollo, the god of intellect and light.
Greek Jewelry Designs
The ancient Greeks were fond of pendant earrings adorned with the
images of doves, or the gods Eros and Nike. Amphora pendants were embellished
with gemstones or enamel, hanging from a rosette usually topped by
the crown of Isis. Necklaces were either a broad strap chain with dangling
fruits or calyxes (above), or a round chain with an animal head or
dolphin shaped clasp. Gold wreaths were worn as headdresses decorated
with lavish foliage, flowers, acorns, Eros and Nikes. Their rings had
bezels set with sealstones or other semi-precious stones.
Jewelry of the Hellenistìc period
The Hellenistic age (330-27 BC), initiated by the conquests of Alexander
the Great and increased contacts with the Far-East and Egypt, brought
about great changes in taste and styles in architecture, clothing,
and jewelry. Many new types of jewelry were introduced, and the use
of gold increased dramatically. The use of semi-precious and precious
stones, such as amethyst, chalcedony, cornelian, garnet, and rock crystal
were employed. Less costly jewelry used glass paste as a substitute
for more expensive stones.
Etruscan Jewelry
The Etruscans lived in Etruria (western Tuscany, Italy) and were
a non Italic people whose culture was based largely on the Greek culture.
The Etruscans had a profound influence on the Romans from the 7th century
BC to the 5th century BC. They were eventually overcome by the Romans
in the 4th and 3rd centuries BC.
During the Early Etruscan Period (7th century BC to the 5th century
BC), they developed their own unique methods of workmanship and characteristic
styles, producing many pieces featuring intricate detail and a wide
variety of styles, as shown in the examples below (from the Metropolitan
Museum of Art). During this Period the Etruscans developed the art
of granulation, which uses finely grained "shot" gold to
create delicate patterns. This process has been recently rediscovered
and is being used again by some jewelers today.
Etruscan Jewelry - Metropolitan Museum of Art
During the Late Etruscan Period (4th centuries BC to 3rd centuries
BC), the workmanship took on a simpler quality. Many pieces were made
with filigree openwork patterns without any backing, and often used
colored beads from Phoenicia, inlay and enameling. Etruscan finger
rings were often made with a scarab or a long engraved oval bezel set
with a single gemstone.
Ancient Roman Jewelry
The ancient Romans used a diverse range of materials for their jewelry
due to their access to a wide variety of natural resources across the
European and Mediterranean continents. The most common jewelry item
of early Rome was the brooch, which was used to secure clothing together.
A popular style of jewelry invented by the Romans was gold hemispheres
fashioned into necklaces, bracelets, and earrings (above left). The
drawing of Roman jewelry to the right (above) is from Albert Racinet's
book "Le Costume Historique 1878."
Although the Romans often used gold in their jewelry, they also used
bronze set with bone and glass beads. Pearls were particularly prized.
The engraving of Roman jewelry to the left (below) is from "Gems
of Nature and Art," by B. Fawcett, published in London by Groombridge
and Sons (1880).
The gold necklace below was found in Pompeii and is set with emeralds
and pearls. The example to the far right is a natural pearl, emerald
plasma (chalcedony), and gold necklace from the old Roman Empire (500
BC to 100 AD), which is in the British Museum in London.
1st Century Ancient Roman Jewelry
Most early Roman jewelry resembled Greek and Etruscan jewelery. New
motifs were developed or derived from other cultures and remained well-established
throughout Roman times. An example which was influenced by the Egyptians
is the Herakles knot, with its Apotropaic (amulet and talisman) character
to ward off evil. Another borrowing from Egypt was the Isis crown,
which adorned earrings during the second century B.C. Another important
development was the hoop earring, appearing around 330 BC, with a finial
in the form of animal heads, maenads, negroes or a full figure of Eros.
Cameo portraits were also worn as rings and pendants (below).
Gold bracelets were often fashioned in the form of coiling snakes
(below left). While Roman women wore a wide variety of jewelry, the
men often wore only a finger ring (although they were expected to wear
at least one ring). Rings were made with carved stone or gold, and
were used wax to seal important documents with wax (below). The gold
coin ring below features a portrait of emperor Marcus Aurelius (121
AD to 180 AD).
2nd Century Ancient Roman Jewelry
Upper-class Roman women wore a considerable amount of jewelry. One
design that persisted throughout Roman history was the fibula, a pin
that resembled a safety pin and was used as a clothing fastener. The
fibula was often very ornately decorated as Roman clothing was frequently
pinned rather than sewn. The fibula was often embellished with a cameo
of a female bust or a winged Victory intaglio carving.
Encaustic Paintings of Ancient Roman Jewelry
The encaustic (hot wax painting) paintings shown above are known
as 'Fayum Mummy Portraits'. They are on the casket or "sarcophagus" of
the deceased. They depict well-to-do Roman women adorned with their
finest traditional clothing and jewelry. The deceased is depicted at
a relatively young age regardless of the age at death.
Great Britain in the 18th & 19th Century
The more commonly known 'Victorian era' was bookended by two other
significant periods in British history, the Georgian and Edwardian
eras. All three were named after the British monarchs who oversaw the
period. As far as fashion, social attitudes, and aesthetic taste is
concerned, there is little disagreement that the royal families had
an indelible influence on the period's fashion and design motifs, as
well as national the mood.
Georgian Era Jewellery (1714 to 1830)
Starting at roughly the same time as the Industrial Revolution, the
Georgian period was defined by the rule of the English kings George
I through George IV, as well as the American and French revolutions.
This period was distinguished by its air of opulence, self indulgence
and quirkiness, with George III (aka the porphyria stricken "Mad
King George") setting the tone. Starting with the the ornate Rococo
style of the early Georgian period, motifs transitioned from Gothic
Revival during the mid-Georgian era, to Neoclassical during the transitional
'Regent period' of George IV.
Popular jewelry styles of the period were both elaborate and intricate,
forming ornate arrangements such as 'chandelier' style earrings, rivière
necklaces' with their 'flowing river' of diamonds, and multi-strand
festoons or three-strand en esclavage necklaces' forming swagged concentric
rings. In keeping with the 'excesses' of the times, diamonds were a
favorite gemstone of the early Georgian Era. Gemstones were used in
ornate repoussé settings, forming a raised metal pattern by
working from the back side of the piece.
Georgian Era Jewellery
Georgian Cannetille Bracelets (left)
Other complex Georgian accessories were the cannetille, chatelaine,
and stomacher. The stomacher was an elaborately decorated triangular
pane, filling in the front opening of a woman's bodice. Cannetille
work was another popular Georgian style of metalsmithing, being made
up of a lacy, open filigree consisting of tightly wound twisted gold
wires, forming a coiled spiral that resembles spun gold. A chatelaine
is a decorative clasp worn at the waist, with a series of suspended
chains.
Victorian Era Jewellery (1837 to 1901)
The "Victorian era" as it has come to be known, started
on June 20th 1837 with the crowning of Queen Victoria as the United
Kingdom's longest ruling monarch. The Reform Act of 1832, and changing
social mores are also credited with the ending of both the Georgian
era, and transitional Regency era (1800-1830), bringing about a new,
'romantic' period.
Victorian Jewellery
Victorian era fashion and design blended an eclectic array of stylistic
motifs such as Elizabethan, Classical and Gothic revival, Greco-Roman,
Neoclassical, Orientalism, Rococo and Romanticism, all tailored to
fit the new vision of an "ideal woman" as pure, unadulterated,
and subservient.
Romantic Period
The 'Early Victorian' years from 1837 to around 1860 were referred
to as the "Romantic Period," marked by the Queen's marriage
to Prince Albert in 1840. Romanticism was a social shift away from
the aristocratic, social, and political norms of the Enlightenment
period, stressing the importance of dreams, emotions and sentimentality
as inspirational source material for artistic expression. The Romantic
era also brought about a new fascination with nature, adding Eden-like
symbols such as the serpent, grapes, flowers, and birds to the 'romantic'
motif.
After Queen Victoria and Prince Albert had purchased Balmoral Castle
in the Caledonian woodlands of Scotland in 1848, Celtic motifs began
to permeate English culture. By the end of the Romantic Period, brooches
and pendants containing polished agate gemstones called "Scottish
pebble jewelry" had become very popular.
Victorian Jewellery
Hair Jewelry (left), Georgian Crescent Moon Turquoise & Pearl Brooch
(center)
So called "hair jewelry" or "memorial mourning brooches" became
a staple of the period, with Queen Victoria giving gifts of jewelry
made from her hair (above, left). Mourning brooches were made by weaving
small locks of a loved one's hair into detailed "hair art." The
locks were mounted on an agate or mother-of-pearl backing, then covered
with domed glass. Human hair was also woven into elaborate designs
and patterns used on pins, brooches, and bracelets.
Mid-Victorian Period
After a twenty year run, the Romantic era ended suddenly with the
death of Queen Victoria's husband, Prince Albert in 1860. A new period
of mourning known as the Mid-Victorian or "Grand" Period,
lasted from 1860 to 1885. Darker stones such as jet and black onyx
began to appear in jewelry, symbolic of the national mood.
Another offshoot of the Queen's fascination with the Scottish countryside
was the popularity of the Celtic Revival Cross, worn as a pendant or
pin. Due to a scarcity of raw materials during this period, open-work
techniques such as cannetille, filigree, and repoussé were employed
so as to exaggerate the quantity of precious metals, and size of the
jewelry piece.
Typical jewelry items of the period were mosaic jewelry, the cameo
brooch and the stick pin, with cameos of carved conch shell, hardstone
agate, carnelian, and sardonyx, or Wedgwood ceramic, depicting mythological
Greco-Roman imagery. Glass or paste gemstone simulations were also
used extensively during the Victorian Period, and jewelers would add
a foil backing to reflect more light through the 'stone.'
Brooches were also decorated with miniature Limoges painted enamel
portraits (above, center), surrounded by Etruscan style granulation,
filigree and fleur d'lis. Small enamel portraits were painted by artisans
called "limners," who would travel the countryside creating
these wearable likenesses.
The Mid-Victorian Period saw the rise of a new urban middle class
[5]. A fashionable pastime for the well-heeled Englishman was to embark
on "The Grand Tour" of Europe, visiting classical Baroque,
Greco-Roman and Italian Renaissance monuments while collecting mementos
from each location. Collectors brought back Pietra Dura (stone inlay)
mosaics and mico-mosaics (tessarae) which local artisans would craft
to emulate the architectural motifs of famous Etruscan and Greco-Roman
sites.
After Queen Victoria was crowned as the Empress of India in 1876,
'Orientalism' brought about a newfound fascination with the Far East,
as Eastern and Indian motifs worked their way into European art and
jewelry design.
Late Victorian Period
The "late Victorian" period (aka Aesthetic Period) extended
from 1885 to Queen Victoria's death in 1900. As the prolonged malaise
of the Grand Period waned, a new spirit of lightness swept over England
like a cool breeze. Fun was back in vogue, and a sense of whimsy was
brought on by the influence of the Queen's daughter-in-law, Princess
Alexandra.
Global expansionism of the British Empire was the hallmark of this
period. With the discovery of the "Dark Continent's" Kimberley
diamond fields in North Cape, South Africa, Queen Victoria would usher
in a new era that was resplendent with diamonds. This period reached
its zenith with the Queen's Diamond Jubilee in 1897, three years before
her passing.
Edwardian Period Jewellery (1900 to 1910)
King Edward VII's ascension marked the passing of the 1800s, Queen
Victoria's reign, and an end to the conservative tastes of the Victorian
era. The Edwardian era ushered in a new fondness for femininity and
sensuality that was shunned during the previous century. The Edwardian
era design ascetic coincided with, and was influenced by the Art Nouveau
movement that was moving across Europe.
Jewelry styles from the period were created with intricate filigree,
punctuated with copious use of colored gemstones diamonds, and pearls.
White metals became popular during this period, as jewelers made use
of platinum, palladium, rhodium and white gold in their settings. It
was during the Edwardian period that men's jewelry came into fashion.
Art Nouveau Period Jewellery (1890 to 1915)
Art Nouveau ("new art") was the first move towards a new
modernism in art and design, during the Belle Époque ("beautiful
era") period of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The movement
was primarily influenced by the radical work of Moravian (Czech) artist
Alfons Mucha and English illustrator Aubrey Beardsley ("The Peacock
Skirt" - below, left), and the ground-breaking architecture and
design work of Hector Guimard of Paris (Paris Métro - below,
right) and Antoni Gaudí of Barcelona.
Art Nouveau Period Jewellery
The Art Nouveau movement focused heavily on the themes of nature,
fantasy, and the female form, with sensual flowing shapes that simulate
organic growth that is reminiscent of the primeval Garden of Eden.
Exotic floral motifs with animals, birds, butterfles, dragonflies,
peacock feathers and marsh plants were incorporated with graceful feminine
imagery or fairies, mermaids and nymphs, complete with their long,
twisting mains.
Enameling or plique à jour ("open to light") were
popular jewelry techniques during the Art Nouveau period, and the "craft" of
jewelry design and metal-working was reborn in the elaborate and imaginative
creations of the time. Jewellery designers such as Georges Fouquet
and Lucien Gautrait, as well as glass designers Louis Comfort Tiffany
and René Lalique combined Japanese motifs with popular natural
elements to create elaborate Art Nouveau jewelry designs.
Viennese jeweller Frey Wille has created a series of enamel jewelry
commemorating Mucha's theatre placard artwork of Sarah Bernhardt in
their "Hommage à Alphonse Mucha" line.
Art Nouveau Period (1880 to 1915)
The "Art Nouveau" ("new art") movement was one
of the first departures from classical art and design, towards a new
modernism. The 'Modernism' and Art Nouveau movements occurred during
what was known in France as the "Belle Époque," or "beautiful
era" period of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The movement
was primarily influenced by the radical work of Czech (Moravian) artist
Alfons Mucha, Swiss decorative artist Eugène Grasset, and English
illustrator Aubrey Beardsley ("The Peacock Skirt" - below,
left), and the ground-breaking architecture and design work of Hector
Guimard of Paris (Paris Métro - below, right) and Antoni Gaudí of
Barcelona.
The Art Nouveau movement focused heavily on the themes of nature,
fantasy, and the female form, with sensual flowing shapes that simulate
organic growth that is reminiscent of the primeval Garden of Eden.
Art Nouveau Period Jewellery
Exotic floral motifs with animals, birds, butterfles, dragonflies,
peacock feathers and marsh plants were incorporated with graceful feminine
imagery or fairies, mermaids and nymphs, complete with their long manes
of twisting hair.
Some of the floral motifs that were used in the Art Nouveau style
were borrowed from English artist William Morris' 'Arts and Crafts
Movement' of the late Victorian era.
Jewellery from the Art Nouveau Period
Enameling or plique à jour ("open to light") were
popular jewelry techniques during the Art Nouveau period, and the "craft" of
jewelry design and metal-working was reborn in the elaborate and imaginative
creations of the time. Jewellery designers such as Georges Fouquet
and Lucien Gautrait, as well as glass designers Louis Comfort Tiffany
and René Lalique combined Japanese motifs with popular natural
elements to create elaborate Art Nouveau jewelry designs.
Viennese jeweller Frey Wille has created a series of enamel jewelry
commemorating Mucha's theatre placard artwork of Sarah Bernhardt in
their "Hommage à Alphonse Mucha" line.
Art Deco (1920 to 1939)
The "Art Deco" movement was founded by members of the French
artists collective known as the La Société des artistes
décorateurs, following the Paris Exposition Internationale des
Arts Décoratifs et Industriels, held in 1925. Some of the founders
such as Eugène Grasset and Hector Guimard were also instrumental
in establishing the Art Nouveau some twenty years earlier. The Art
Deco 'style' also borrowed from the other Modernism movements of the
time, such as Bauhaus, Cubism, Empire Neoclassicism, Futurism, and
Modernism.
The movement was originally referred to as "Style Moderne," and
it wasn't until the 1960s when English art historian Bevis Hillier
first coined the name "Art Deco." The name "Art Deco" refers
to the movement's effect on the "decorative arts," meaning
the more 'commercial' artistic disciplines of architecture, graphic
arts, and industrial design, but the name was also used in reference
to the "fine arts." As a stylistic motif, Art Deco managed
to permeate every aspect daily life, from fashion, to consumer products
and film. Of coarse, jewelry was no exception, and the Art Deco movement
had a profound effect on jewellery design.
Art Deco Jewellery and Architecture
Chrysler Building (left), Art Deco Emerald Ring Circa 1910-1915 (center),
Djenné Mosque in Mail (right)
The Art Deco style is probable one of the easiest artistic styles
to recognize, with its modern ultra clean lines, trapezoidal shapes,
stepped edges, and arced corners. What might be surprising to some
is how the movement was influenced by indigenous primitive motifs from
the ancient Aztec and Egyptians, or from tribal African motifs (see
Mali photo above, right).
Jewellery from the Art Deco Period
Jewellery from the Art Deco period took on an 'architectural' appearance,
with gemstones being cut in bold geometric shapes such as the emerald
cut, pentagon, trapezoid, or triangle. Another characteristic of the
Art Deco movement was to combine bold, contrasting tones like black
and white. Diamonds and light colored gemstones were mixed with dark
materials of black onyx or Bakelite, for a striking appearance. Diamonds
were also Pavé set into bold patterns to form a contrasting
white field.
Art Deco Jewellery
Because the Art Deco movement was an 'industrial' movement, industrial
looking white metals were commonly used in jewelry fabrication. Popular
metals of the period were silver, platinum, and white gold. American
jewelry designers like Harry Winston and Tiffany & Co. became known
for their iconic Art Deco style. In Europe, designers like Cartier,
the House of Mauboussin (photo of wristwatch above), and Van Cleef & Arpels
were at the forefront of the Art Deco jewellery movement.
Streamline Moderne
One of the offshoots to the Art Deco movement was the 'Streamline
Moderne' movement in the late 1930s, with its more rounded nautical
feel. Famous examples of the Streamline Moderne movement are the Pan
Pacific Auditorium and Coca Cola Building (above, right), both in Los
Angeles, California. |
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