The announcement coincided with its full-year results, with growth driven by its jewelry brands.
The History Behind … Art Deco
The latest in National Jeweler’s The History Behind series explores one of the most popular and influential periods in jewelry design, the Art Deco era.
New York--It’s a period that’s so popular, and has enjoyed so many revivals, that the term Art Deco is used loosely to refer to jewelry, architecture and furniture from many different decades.
To truly be Art Deco though, a piece must have been manufactured in the period between the two World Wars. Otherwise, it is just Art Deco style.
For this installment of The History Behind, National Jeweler turned to two antique experts--Janet Levy, of antique jewelry company The DeYoung Collection, and Patricia Faber of the Aaron Faber Gallery--to learn more about the origins of the era’s clean aesthetic.
When did Art Deco jewelry first appear on the market? Both Levy and Faber agree that there are no firm dates for any period of jewelry design; one movement simply blends into the one that follows.
“There’s not this kind of wall that divides anything,” Levy said. “It’s very fluid.”
While a touring exhibition put together by the Victoria & Albert Museum in London defines the period as 1910 to 1939, Levy said in her mind, the earliest Art Deco pieces date from about 1918 or 1919, with interest in the movement waning in the 1940s.
Why it is called Art Deco and what influenced the design of the period? Art Deco took its name from the Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes (the International Exposition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts). It took place in Paris in 1925 and is said to have done more to advance the worldwide popularity of Art Deco design than any other exposition of its time.
Like most movements in design, Art Deco was a rejection of the soft, curvy forms of the period that preceded it, Art Nouveau.
It was after World War I, and “People needed an escapist, happy expression coming out of that horrible war,” Levy said.
Women enjoyed a period of liberation in terms of their hairstyles, lifestyles and clothing--think how little the flapper girls of the era wore--and wanted new, fresh-looking jewelry to go with it.
They could have it, thanks to the growing use of machines, which could produce jewelry with clean lines, and produce it in greater amounts than was possible in the past.
Art Deco also was
How would you describe the aesthetics of Art Deco jewelry? Art Deco is, as Faber so perfectly described it, graphic, linear and geometric. To see these traits on a large scale, one merely has to look at some of New York City’s most iconic buildings, the Chrysler and Rockefeller Center.
Levy noted that there are two forces at play in any Art Deco piece. There’s the very strong, geometric structure and then the expression taking place within that structure.
Think: the floral or pyramid-like patterns visible in the beautiful, clean diamond and colored gemstone-set bracelets, brooches and earrings from houses such as Boucheron, Van Cleef & Arpels and Cartier and, in the United States, Raymond Yard.
Art Deco also was the era that Cartier’s artisans came up with the Tutti Frutti design, which featured diamond and carved, colored gemstones, influenced by the Mughal period in India.
What materials were popular? Platinum was the most widely used metal of the era.
Gemstone-wise, it was diamonds and colored stones, particularly the big three: sapphires, emeralds and rubies. Levy said there also were a lot of fancy cuts used during the period, including fancy cuts in color.
Is Art Deco the most influential period in jewelry design? Both Levy and Faber said yes.
“Etruscan and Scythian jewelry shows up most often throughout (history) but I think Art Deco in the modern era is strongest, and I think it’s the most popular,” Faber said.
It’s enjoyed a number of revivals throughout history, including in the late 1980s and early ‘90s, and influences the geometric designs that are en vogue today.
The clean lines continue to appeal.
“You never get tired of it,” Faber said. “I never get tired of looking at the Chrysler Building and jewelry has a lot of the same visual appeal. There’s always something new to see in the design.”
How can retailers add authentic Art Deco pieces to their estate jewelry inventory? Levy said jewelers need to be pro-active in order to snag pieces from this still-popular era.
She recommended attending estate jewelry shows--one example is Lueur, which is coming up at end of October in New York--as well as visiting reputable dealers to look at jewelry, analyze its quality and compare prices.
Price points for Art Deco jewelry start as low as $2,000 for a simple bar pin and can climb to $10,000 to $20,000 for bracelets that aren’t signed, which Levy considers a good deal. More elaborate signed pieces, meanwhile, can sell for upwards of $1 million at auction.
Faber also recommended the auction houses as good sources for retailers, as they edit their offerings carefully. “You’d be less likely to find authentic Art Deco privately,” she said.
The Latest
Looking ahead, the retailer said it sees “enormous potential” in Roberto Coin’s ability to boost its branded jewelry business.
Jewelry trade show veterans share strategies for engaging buyers, managing your time effectively, and packing the right shoes.
Despite the rising prices, consumers continue to seek out the precious metal.
This little guy’s name is Ricky and he just sold for more than $200,000 at Sotheby’s Geneva jewelry auction.
Though its website has been down for a week, Christie’s proceeded with its jewelry and watch auctions on May 13-14, bringing in nearly $80 million.
Despite the absence of “The Allnatt,” Sotheby’s Geneva jewelry auction totaled $34 million, with 90 percent of lots sold.
Tradeshow risks are real. Get tips to protect yourself before, during and after and gain safety and security awareness for your business.
Lilian Raji gives advice to designers on how to make the most of great publicity opportunities.
The mining company wants to divest its 70 percent holding in the Mothae Diamond Mine in an effort to streamline its portfolio.
Why do so many jewelers keep lines that are not selling? Peter Smith thinks the answer lies in these two behavioral principles.
The “Argyle Phoenix” sold for more than $4 million at the auction house’s second jewels sale.
The annual list recognizes young professionals making an impact in jewelry retail.
Owner David Mann is heading into retirement.
While overall sales were sluggish, the retailer said its non-bridal fine jewelry was a popular choice for Valentine’s Day.
The mining giant also wants to offload its platinum business as part of an overhaul designed to “unlock significant value.”
Christie's is selling one of the diamonds, moving forward with its Geneva jewelry auction despite the cyberattack that took down its website.
The ad aims to position platinum jewelry as ideal for everyday wear.
Retailers can customize and print the appraisal brochures from their store.
The move follows a price-drop test run in Q4 and comes with the addition of a “quality assurance card” from GIA for some loose diamonds.
The site has been down since Thursday evening, just ahead of its spring auctions.
The late former U.S. Secretary’s collection went for quadruple the sale’s pre-sale estimate.
Three fifth graders’ winning designs were turned into custom jewelry pieces in time for Mother’s Day.
Kimberly Adams Russell is taking over the role from her father, David Adams, marking the third generation to hold the title.
As a token of womanhood, this necklace depicts when Venus was born from the sea.
The deal gives the retailer control over the distribution of Roberto Coin jewelry in the U.S., Canada, Caribbean, and Central America.
The company’s Easton location will remain open.