Art Deco Jewelry 101

Art Deco Jewelry was made in the Art Deco era between 1918 - 1930.

Coinciding with the roaring twenties, it was a relatively short period of time in the history of Jewelry. Authority, LEE SIEGELSON, describes the period as the "Golden -Age" of fashion and jewelry...

With only another decade to go, before it's officially declared, "100 year antique", there has never been a better time to buy before prices really start to soar.

And the good thing about Art deco Jewelry is that it's not too difficult identifying Art Deco style as it's often the main jewelry on display in Antique jewelry stores, on-line and at Antique jewelry auctions, as it's just always so popular.

Jewelry Collectors will find some useful tips in this article about how to differentiate between genuine, authentic Art deco and Antique Costume Jewelry which can be a bit tricky.

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If you're a veteran collector, you might like to move directly down the page to Art Deco investor tips and if you still haven't discovered why you too should consider investing in non-financial, material assets such as fine jewelry - CLICK HERE!

Art Deco Jewelry Originates in Paris - des Artes Decoratifs

By the way, you don't have to be royalty (once upon a time you did) to invest in Antique Jewelry.

Ok then, let's get started........ Art deco jewelry in the 1920s originated in Paris. The name "Art deco" was only one of a number of candidates for the completely novel way of looking at things.

Derived from the 'The Exposition Internationale des Artes Decoratifs et Industriels Moderns' of 1925.

Hardly more than 20 years before the Art nouveau, la belle époque fashion period had favored gentle curves and sinuous shapes. The creative period that fostered this brief, revolutionary period in fashion and art history lasted only until the outbreak of the second world war.

The seriously innovative, trendy jewelry designs of the Art deco period would never be recaptured, but fortunately for jewelry candy passionistas, many examples of the jewelry of this remarkable period still remain.

Abstract motifs and geometrical forms with an emphasis on vertical lines are the keys. Necklaces hung low, often with an elaborate jeweled pendant, called a sautoir.

Coco Chanel

The emancipation (derived from the Latin word - mancipium ‘slave’ ) of women changed the face of jewelry forever. This period could be described in fashion art history as a rebellion.

Haute Couturier, (fashion designer) Coco Chanel forerunner to Eliza Schiaparelli, born in Rome, Italy in 1890, captured the mood precisely with their Costume Jewelry designs.

Long, streamlined and vertical lines with the introduction of masculine elements. Anything a man could do well, a fashionable art deco belle could do better.

Cutting the hair into short boyish hairstyles marked a "cutting" point in a woman's struggle for equality. The hair that was gone was often replaced by long Art deco earrings.

Sleeveless dresses and the shedding of evening gloves encouraged the wearing of bracelets. Usually of the extra large bling style and quite often worn in pairs, one on each wrist. Gem-encrusted geometric link style bracelets were also in fashion and remained in fashion until the outbreak of the Second World War.

Schiaparelli went on and licensed her name for mass production of costume jewelry and accessories made by David Lisner Co. which was also the authorized American agent and distributor for her earlier French-made pieces.

Her earlier jewelry, is typically Art deco in design- showy, imaginative and bold with innovative designs. Later designs however reveal Art nouveau elements of nature creeping in.

Trendy Art Deco Jewelry Opens The Door To Luxury and Leisure

From the Art deco lighting and candelabras to Art deco Jewelry, linear forms, vivid colors and flamboyant style are the quintessential hallmarks.

Perhaps you're already a savvy jewelry investor and the proud owner of an exquisite antique jewelry collection yourself. You may have some fine Art deco jewels in your Antique jewelry collection, then why not put your investment where you can see it.

Have some fun with your collection, and if you haven't already, t start WEARING it, while it's increasing in value as you do so. Art deco jewelry is so wearable today.

For the ultimate Art deco indulgence, when your next in LA, bejewel yourself with your favorite Art deco piece to blend in with the style of your glamorous surroundings, if you choose to stay at what Lee Tulloch describes as one of the five hottest luxury hotels of the world - The Roosevelt Hotel in Los Angeles.

From the Art deco architecture, the seating and leather club chairs to the baronial fireplace, the lobby of The Roosevelt, Los Angeles looks like it's straight out of an old Dolores Del Rio movie and there's even a waft of Latin lover, Rudolph Valentino passing by!

Home of the rich and famous, it has been a Hollywood landmark since 1927 and is home to the first-ever Academy Awards and a playground for Hollywoods brightest stars. The ballroom of the Hollywood Hotel would be the legendary place for an Art deco wedding made in heaven.

Although it's still not "ANTIQUE" in the strict sense, it only has a few years to go, so...buy Art Deco jewellery on the dips now before the 100 year time cap pushes prices further up.

Antique Jewelry is always more desirable if still in its antique jewelry box providing the box is the original and in good condition.

Art deco jewelry of the 1920s, is a great place to start your collection if you're just starting out as it's not too difficult to develop an 'eye for Art-deco jewelry'.

Geometric shapes and the use of vivid and bold colors cry 'Art deco' design. Linear lines and flamboyant style make it easy to identify Art deco jewelry, such as art deco engagement rings.

Talking about Art deco jewellery, did you see Camillas' Art Deco Diamond Engagement Ring that once belonged to the Queen Mother? Art deco history and a photo of the ring is covered here.

Art deco style is unmistakable in Antique Jewellery, such as you see in many Art deco brooches like this fantastic example, a large rectangular double whitby jet clip brooch shown here (which can be used as a brooch or dress shoulder clip) and matching Art deco earrings - in fact it is unmistakable in most Art deco jewellery.

Art Deco Jewelry in the 1920s, Art Deco Brooch

More Art Deco Investor Tips

The Art deco movement touched on every aspect of applied art, not just jewelry- architecture, furniture, ceramic, glass, book design and even industrial design.

The Art deco period saw a major technical innovation—Van Cleef & Arpels' invisible setting allowed gemstones to be closely set together without the use of prongs, so that no metal could be seen on the surface.

One clue in identification, is that Art deco style jewellery might appear that it has been machine-made, even though it hasn't been. It was in fact crafted by outstanding designers of the time, mainly French such as Sandoz, Templer, Fouquet and Brandt.

Characteristic of this period was the Lavalliere, a pendant with two clusters hanging from chains of different lengths; popular in the art deco of the 1920s.

Jewelry of all types experimented with as many materials as possible. To help in your identification of Art deco jewelry think of the Art deco period as one big experiment with all materials and design motifs.

Art deco jewelry, was seriously Trendy Jewelry and is very wearable and fashionable still today.

Silver and Platinum were preferred over gold, and blacks were supplied by jet, lacquer or enamel.

Take extra special care when buying Art deco jewelry on-line because without close examination there's not much way of knowing which is cheap or expensive.

Deco Jewelry is often confused with Costume Jewelry. You can find helpful tips on Identifying Costume Jewelry here.

Ask questions and read descriptions carefully before making an investment.

It was the French, who influenced American deco jewelry, though firms such as Tiffany, Udall and Ballou, Spaulding-Gorham and Peacock produced jewelry of a distinct American kind.

Materials used in Art Deco Jewelry of the 1920's used contrasting colors together such as jade, coral, turquoise and lapis lazuli.

Art deco diamond rings would be set with with a large cabochon stone often surrounded by small brilliants or by the recently introduced rectangular baguette diamonds.

Knowing how to identify old diamond cuts will provide important clues in the identification process. Baguette cut diamonds were popular.

You can test diamonds successfully at home with state of the art diamond testers. Watch out for moissanite impostors. Most jewelry experts and gemologists also use these tools. So can you.

Some of the finest pieces of Art Deco jewelry of the 1920s was made by Cartier, who combined superb stones with excellent design and stringent quality control. For more information on Cartier see Designer Costume Jewelry here.

Irregular polished emerald beads were strung as necklaces often with a large pendant of carved emerald or rock crystal framed with diamonds.

Emeralds, sapphires and rubies were carved into leaves and flowers and assembled as brooches or inspired by the Indian 'tree of life', densely packed along a diamond branch to make a bracelet or Art deco diamond necklace.

Don't be surprised to see chinese motifs on Art Deco jewelry. During the Art deco era of the mid 1920s, jewelers began to use Chinese motifs.

Here original jade carvings were often incorporated with delicate borders of diamonds and geometric bands of black onyx.

In contrast, to these Art deco examples, bangles particularly of ivory and glazed wood imitated African jewelry. In contrast, to these Art deco examples, bangles particularly of ivory and glazed wood imitated African jewelry.

The 1930s saw the perfection of white Art Deco, as the 'functional' approach and angularities of the machine age crystallized into stark, sober statements of inflated large sizes.

Platinum was chosen for white Art Deco Wedding Rings and platinum dominated the world of Antique Jewelry during the Art Deco era, well into the 1930's, being the choice metal for Art Deco Platinum rings and Engagement Rings also.

Diamonds used in Art deco diamond antique wedding rings and Art deco diamond engagement rings were usually brilliant-cut or old european diamonds which are usually a bit less sparkly (but more fiery) and popular in raised square settings like this one.

I hope you have enjoyed reading all about Art Deco style jewelry here. You should now be more confident in identifying and investing in authentic Art Deco jewellery.

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