Art Deco Inspired Jewelry
It is no surprise that
Art Deco
inspired jewelry has become so popular. The timeless designs have been around for a while
but are still eclectic and
bold enough to transform any day or night attire into an elegant outfit.
The Art Deco movement got its name from the Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et
Industriels Modernes, an expo that was held in 1925 in Paris as a way of celebrating modernism.
Art Deco Influence
The exhibition was a large success and the legacy of that Paris exhibition continues right up to today. Architects, designers and jewelers from all over the world started to create geometric and streamlined items of jewelry that reflected the technology and modern atmosphere of the time.
Art Deco jewelry not only became a fashion classic but has also inspired today’s jewelers. They have translated the bold free-thinking and daring style of this period into modern pieces that any confident woman of our times would be proud to wear.
Here is a list of typical design characteristics of this period which will help and guide you when purchasing Art Deco inspired jewelry.
Design Patterns of Art Deco Inspired Jewelry
White Gold Jewelry
Most of the jewelry from the Art Deco period was made from white gold or platinum. Advanced manufacturing techniques finally enabled jewelers to work with platinum, an extremely hard and durable metal.
Platinum was however expensive and so the new alloy, white gold became the jewelers favorite metal. White gold’s hue is similar to platinum and it is also strong and beautiful in its own right.
Here at CaratsDirect2U we have a collection or beautiful Art Deco inspired jewelry made from 14 karat and 18 karat gold.
This is one of our 18k white gold engagement rings that is strongly influenced by Art Deco style. This ring itself is made with round cut diamonds in a pave setting and the top part is made from princess diamonds in an invisible setting. The princess and the round cut diamonds have a G color rating and a VS1 clarity. The total carat weight of the ring is 0.92 carats.
Geometric Shaped Diamond Jewelry
Another characteristic of Art Deco inspired jewelry is the strong geometry and symmetry of its bold designs. The social changes and industrial progress of the time heralded a new area that turned its back on the curvy and flowing shapes of the previous century.
Women in Western countries, many of them who left their homes during World War I, gained the right to vote during the 1920’s. Industrialization brought radios, movies, cars and fridges to everyone. Modern-looking jewelry with masculine shapes helped to highlight these new freedoms.
These square-shaped earrings made from 18k white gold with princess-shaped and round cut diamonds are now for sale at Caratsdirect2u. We also have several other geometric shaped pieces
Jewelers of the Art Deco period often made use of step-cut diamonds such as
baguettes, as
well as Ascher and Emerald-cut diamonds because of their straight and streamlined
shapes.
Dangling Earrings
Another drastic fashion highlight of the 1920’s was the bob haircut. Emancipated women expressed
their
new-found confidence by cutting off their long hair. Dangling earrings such as these 18k white
gold with
princess
and round cut diamond became all the rage to accentuate these new hairstyles.
18K White Gold Dangle Earrings With Invisible Set Princess & Round Cut Diamonds (1.81 Ct., G Color, VS1 Clarity)
Diamond Jewelry Made With Invisible Settings
During the 1920’s, the jewelers Van Cleef & Arples in Paris and Cartier from the USA, perfected the invisible setting technique for settings gemstones. Jewelers had previously used prongs or bezel settings, but this new technique allowed them to attach the diamonds in a seemingly invisible manner.
Small grooves at the bottom of the princess stones in this
engagement ring slot into the 18k
gold framework and create the appearance of a carpet of diamonds.
We have a large collection of diamond jewelry with invisible settings available at our online shop.
Read more about invisible settings and what to look when you are considering buying a piece of jewelry made with this type of setting.
The Art Deco movement purposefully broke ties with the past and insisted on being as modern as possible. Today, we fondly look back at this golden period and incorporate many of its characteristics into our contemporary designs.