Art Deco jewellery is generally considered as pieces from between 1920 and 1935 and the striking pieces have been treasured by jewellery enthusiasts all over the world ever since. This era produced jewellery inspired by a complete change of attitude, particularly breaking rules and making fashion statements with jewellery, rather than it solely representing wealth and power.
The Art Deco era produced some of the most stunning pieces of jewellery that are still circulating today, so we are going to explore some of the unique style features that have helped to contribute to their popularity!
Bold Colours
The Art Deco era was a colourful time, which was strongly utilised in the creation of jewellery at the time. Bright and vibrant gemstones are at the centre of most pieces of Art Deco jewellery, particularly deep blue sapphires, passionate rubies and striking green emeralds.
This isn’t to say that diamonds weren’t popular during the era, as they certainly were, however some of the more iconic pieces of jewellery were created with bold colored stones, like emerald rings or large sapphire necklaces. Opals were very popular during this time, particularly as they were so different from the more traditional gemstones noted above. This unique gem was representative of a new, more rebellious time.
Striking Geometric Patterns
The Art Deco era was particularly famous for its innovative architecture, which was also reflected through the striking geometric patterns of the jewellery. In the past, it was common to see more smooth lines and gentle curves, whereas the Art Deco era gave way to far more clean lines and clear contrasts.
The combination of different shapes, sharp edges and free moving pieces all completely broke down the rules of what had been seen in the world of fine jewellery before.
White Metals
Whilst periods like Art Nouveau and The Victorian Era that came before it featured mostly gold, the Art Deco era initiated a huge shift towards more white metals. The use of white gold and silver meant that rings were stronger and jewellers experimented with more intricate designs.
White gold was first released in the Art Deco era as a cheaper alternative to platinum, as a means of supplying the demand for lighter coloured metals in jewellery. Gold jewellery was still created, however the widespread introduction of lighter metals is one of the things that made the Art Deco period as iconic as it was.
Large Pieces
Whilst large gemstones had always been valued prior to the Art Deco era, during the era itself there was no hesitation when it came to creating jewellery that made a statement. Rather than having large gemstones on a more simple band, this period produced pieces of jewellery that had the large gemstones, but also had other striking features, such as large clusters and the combination of multiple large gems.
Many vintage engagement rings from the Art Deco period were significantly larger than those seen before, which are still very popular today.
Final Thoughts
The iconic era that was Art Deco produced some of the most unique and striking pieces of jewellery the world had ever seen. The level of craftsmanship that went into creating them meant that they are still going strong today, and are likely to be treasured for centuries to come!