Art Deco jewelry

The design of Art Deco jewelry (1915 - 1935) is very popular and much appreciated today as it was back then. It is defined by geometric shapes and bright colors and you will often find combinations of diamonds and colored gems like rubies, sapphires or emeralds in Art Deco jewelry.

High auction results for Art Deco creations reveal that this category is one of the most sought after jewelry. 

If you're wondering why, take a look at these amazing pieces:

Van Cleef & Arpels earrings with golden and blue sapphires, diamonds and emeralds

Cartier Art Deco Aquamarine Brooch, via Pinterest

Lacloche Freres 33.06 Carat Natural, 'no heat' sapphire and diamond

And this is not all. I invite you to check out other impressive Art Deco creations on Fred Leighton's website. I came across their online platform while researching for this kind of jewelry and I found there beautiful collections of adornments from different periods of time, starting the 18th century.

Here are just three examples of what kind of jewelry you can find on their website:

Art Deco Sapphire Diamond Greek Key Bracelet Fred Leighton

Art Deco Sapphire Diamond Greek Key Bracelet Fred Leighton

Ceylon Sapphire and Diamond Pendant Earrings, circa 1950s Fred Leighton

Ceylon Sapphire and Diamond Pendant Earrings, circa 1950s Fred Leighton

Old European Cut Diamond and Emerald Ring, circa 1915 Fred Leighton

Old European Cut Diamond and Emerald Ring, circa 1915 Fred Leighton

Butterfly effect

I presume you've already figured out that I’m not referring to the scientific explanation of the title, but to the impact that a piece of jewelry like the ones shown below has on the wearer and others.

I totally agree with Van Cleef & Arpels’s belief that butterflies embody lightness, elegance, and femininity. As I said in a previous post, nature provides great inspiration to all of us.  

Van Cleef & Arpels - via Facebook

Buccellati Jewelry - via Jewels du Jour

Cindy Chao - via The Jewellery Editor

Cartier Jewelry - via Pinterest

Wallace Chan Jewelry - via Pinterest

  

Van Cleef & Arpels Jewelry 

What’s their meaning? Part II

Hi there! Are you curious to find out what the names of topaz, tourmaline, citrine, rhodolite, garnet and peridot stand for?

Here’s their secret:

• Tourmaline owes its name to the Sinhalese term “turamali”, which means “stone of multiple colours”.

• The origin of the name "Topaz" is supposed to be the Sanskrit word for fire - tapas - possibly because of its fiery orange yellow color. Still, there is another theory that says that topaz got its name from the Red Sea's Island of Topazos, where the Romans found a stone, which they called 'Topaz', but which later was found to be Peridot.

Imperial Topaz Demi-Parure - created in England in cca 1770

• There is no doubt Citrine derives its name from “citron” (lemon). :)

Unique18k Yellow Gold Diamond and Citrine Bracelet - via Pinterest

• The name "garnet" comes from the Roman word granatus meaning "seed", as the gems were thought to resemble pomegranate seeds. The name of Rhodolite is derived from the Greek for "rose-like".

• Peridot comes from the Greek term “chrysolite” or “stone of fire”.
  
  

  

  
  

  David Yurman Petite Albion Ring, Peridot

  
  

  David Yurman Petite Albion Ring, Peridot

  Now let's see all these beautiful stones in just one piece of jewelry - this amazing ring from BVLGARI.

  

  ASTRALE shield-design ring in 18kt yellow gold with blue topazes, green tourmaline, peridot, citrine quartz, rhodolite garnet and and pavé diamonds

  ASTRALE shield-design ring in 18kt yellow gold with blue topazes, green tourmaline, peridot, citrine quartz, rhodolite garnet and and pavé diamonds

  I will reveal the meaning of other precious stones in the coming days, so stay tuned!
  
  

Proud to have it – Brielle Bijoux

My next guest on "Proud to have it" is Gabi. I would like to say a few words about her before inviting you to discover "her precious" to understand why it was so difficult for her to choose just one jewel. I met Gabi two months ago, at a jewelry fair. Yes, that’s right, she is a jewelry designer. Of all the accessories being sold at that fair, Gabi’s jewels had something special and I found them very interesting and beautiful. I bought a bracelet for me then, a month later I bought a necklace for my mother and today I am happy to have Gabi as my guest. This is her story:

More than one

Trying to decide just over one piece of jewelry is always a real torture for me...Which would it be? The "overreaction bracelet", the "Anita earrings", or the "golden bars" set?

I generally like big, over-sized jewelry, so this is why I first thought of my “overreaction bracelet”.

Overreaction bracelet

Overreaction bracelet

 I also like modern, contemporary jewelry created in a minimalist style, with only a few lines, so next came up the “Golden Bars” set.

Golden Bars earrings

Golden Bars necklace

In the same time I equally love silver and gold jewelry. Silver is youthful, fresh and sharp, spring-like, but gold is warmer, it has a softer light, closer to skin color...summer like. I know that many persons prefer to only wear silver and don’t have any gold accessories, or the other way around. This is not my case, because I feel that generally my outfit should decide the shape and the material of my accessories.

Anita earrings

Each time I design and create something new, I try to make it better than everything before, but when it comes to decide which one to wear...it’s always difficult to choose. You can find my jewelry here: https://www.facebook.com/brielle.bijoux.ro. Which one would you wear?

Anita earrings

Let’s go to Paris

I love to travel and there are so many places I’d like to visit. I've already been in several great locations by now in both Africa and Europe, but there is so much more to discover. For example, although I've been to France before, I've never been to Paris. The French capital is on my tourist list, with all its attractions: the Eiffel Tour, Louvre Museum, Sacré-Cœur and Moulin Rouge, Centre Pompidou, Montmartre neighborhood, the nice restaurants and, of course, if I go to Paris, I would definitely make time to visit the maisons of famous fine jewelry brands.

But how did Paris come to my mind? I simply saw this superb tiara and my thoughts began to wander…

Via COUTURELAB

Paris Tiara by Lydia Courteille

Flower-shaped jewelry

The beauty of nature has been always an inspiration for artists. It comforts us through its healing power and it gives us energy. Everything is perfect in nature and every tiny thing, like a simple blade or the smallest insect has its role in the ecosystem’s functioning. 

There is no wonder that the tranquility and symmetric proportions of nature inspired many jewelry designers as well. Their craftsmanship reflects itself in flower-shaped jewelry and other adornments symbolizing animals, plants and any other elements copied from nature.

Here are just a few examples, I hope you like them:

Enchanted Lotus Band with Fancy Yellow Center Diamonds, by De Beers

Camélia Ring in 18K white gold and diamonds, by Chanel

Camélia Ring in 18K white gold and diamonds, by Chanel

mvee pendant with with and colored diamonds, set in white gold

Bloom Brooch by Ritz Fine Jewellery

CARESSE D'ORCHIDÉES PAR CARTIER EARRINGS - PINK GOLD, DIAMONDS, COLOURED, BY CARTIER

Cosmos clip-pendant (large model), by Van Cleef & Arpels  - White gold, diamond

Vintage inspired sapphire and diamond flower earrings, set in platinum - via Trumpet  & Horn

Proud to have it – Silver flower ring by Odette Lupu

Guest post by Tereza {Drastic Plastic}

I started my fabulous ring collection 5 years ago thanks to my mom and thanks to the fact that I moved away from my home town. When I used to live at home we used to go shopping together and because now we live in different cities and hundreds of kilometers apart the only things that she can buy without me are rings.

This ring, the flower ring that I’m sharing with you today, I bought it myself from a really talented Romanian jewelry designer, Odette Lupu, former colleague of mine from University. Her rings have a story behind them, mine represents sexuality, stability, sensuality and the sense of security. Sounds pretty good, right? 

For more of me and my fabulous self check out my blog Drastic Plastic. BTW, I’m Tereza J.

PROUD TO HAVE IT

It’s been a while since I've been thinking of publishing guest posts on a regular basis. Not any kind of guest posts but only articles in which the writer tells us about her dearest jewelry in her collection.

I am sure that every woman has a preferred jewel that she is so proud of. Think of your collection. There are jewels you simply love and other adornments that you’re not very crazy about but it’s good to have them. It could be a difficult choice to name THE ONE but I am sure everyone has a preference. Maybe it’s the ring your grandmother wore at her wedding and now it belongs to you, or it could the necklace your sweetheart gave you on your fifth anniversary or simply the earrings or bracelet you bought for yourself on a vacation or at a jewelry fair.

I even thought of a special name for these entries and I’ll create a dedicated section. Their mark will be these 4 words – “Proud to have it” so you will know every time you see them that another beautiful and smart woman decided to share with us her preference.

Tomorrow I’ll publish my first guest post. It’s written by my dear friend Tereza (check out her blog to get to know her J).

So do not miss tomorrow’s post, I’ll be waiting for you on jewelryloveaffair.blogspot.com!

Photo source: Skatell

What’s their meaning? Part I

Have you ever wondered where the names of gems come from? What do they symbolize? In some cases, their name is really eloquent as it usually reflects the colour, but there are some stones which need to be known a little bit more in order to understand their designation.

If you’re curious to find out what the names of gems mean, please receive my invitation of reading a short series of posts on this issue. This is the first part and let’s start with:

• The diamond’s name comes from the Greek "Adamas" meaning invincible, in reference to their extreme hardness

Via Van Cleef & Arpels - official website

•  The word “Sapphire” means “the most beautiful thing” in Hebrew

  

  Via The Natural Sapphire Company - official website
  
  

•  The name “Emerald” comes from the Greek word “smaragdos”, meaning green stone

Via Jacob&Co's official website

•  Agate comes from the Latin “Achates”, referring to the river in Sicily that produced a plentiful supply of agate in ancient times

Via Pinterest - Kimberly McDonald’s Botswana agate and diamond earrings set in 18-karat white gold

Stay tuned for part II.

My love, will you…?

An engagement ring not only changes a woman’s marital status, but her life. She’ll soon become Mrs. X and, after a while, a married woman with children (if we’d stick to the traditional way, of course J). Every girl dreams to find her true love, to become someday a beloved wife and a proud mother of one or more kids. It is the emotional accomplishment that she is looking for.

The engagement ring opens the gate to the realm that most women are craving for and their “happily ever after” story is yet to begin. It seals the love of two and it stands as a proof of their commitment to each other. And which should be the most eloquent symbol of eternal love if not diamonds?

Josephine Tiara Ring in platinum,full-paved with brilliant-cut diamonds, set with a brilliant-cut diamond. By CHAUMET 

Twin bands entwined, symbolizing independence and endless connection; The DY Crossover Collection designs include the David Yurman iconic cable and the pavé diamond band; Four-prong settings.

Camélia Solitaire in 18K white gold and diamonds. By CHANEL

Delphine platinum and diamond paved wedding ring. By FRED PARIS

Glamoureux With Diamonds & Magiques With Diamonds. By Furrer - Jacot 

Cushion-Cut Micropavé Diamond Engagement Ring. Cushion-cut diamond, featured here in 3.03 carats, in a micropavé platinum setting. Platinum band with 0.28 carats of micropavé diamonds. By Harry Winston

ANNABEL ENGAGEMENT RING - This platinum and diamond pavé mount is set with a round brilliant solitaire. Total carat weight depends on centre diamond. By DE BEERS