Jewellery trends come and go, but one style that seems to remain eternally popular through the decades is Art Deco, and for very good reason. The geometric styles and clean cut stones associated with the Art Deco trend of the 1920s are timeless, with vintage jewellery pieces from this particular era in time often looking as though they were newly made in the modern day.
Here we take a look at some of the main features of Art Deco jewellery and what makes these sought after pieces so special.
Stones
Whilst diamonds and pearls were the order of the day in the 1920s, splashes of colour were starting to be introduced more and more frequently within both jewellery and fashion, meaning signature styles of the Art Deco jewellery era often include coloured stones. Precious gems such as sapphires and rubies became hugely popular with those who wanted to remain at the front and centre of the Art Deco trend.
There was a particular penchant for ‘calibre cut’ stones during this time, a style involving multiple stones sitting flush next to each other in the same setting. This often saw coloured stones paired with diamonds in the same jewellery pieces, making Art Deco engagement rings a particularly popular choice for brides to be looking for something a bit more unusual than the more traditional diamond solitaire.
As a result of this style, vintage diamond and ruby rings, diamond and sapphire brooches, necklaces and dress pieces are commonplace within Art Deco collections. Other popular stone choices in Art Deco jewellery include emeralds and some more unusual options such as black onyx and red coral that aren’t frequently seen in any other era of vintage jewellery.
Materials
Moving on from the popularity of platinum jewellery in the 1910s, the Art Deco era tended to favour more white gold instead. It was considered a more versatile choice of material, and made previously expensive jewellery more accessible due to the slightly cheaper price point of white gold compared to platinum, without any visual aesthetic compromise. Pearls were also extremely popular, and jewellery layering and stacking was common with strings of pearls often accompanying longline necklaces for a more dramatic look.
Design
The typical designs that are most associated with the Art Deco style include clean lines and geometric shapes. Asscher cut diamonds with square faces feature heavily in a lot of 1920s jewellery designs. Iconic jewellery designers such as Tiffany & Co became leaders in jewellery design, and began setting trends that went on to be synonymous with the Art Deco era.
The post World War I economic boost saw increases in wealth for a record number of people, and so there was an unprecedented surge in jewellery purchases during the 1920s. With this being the case, vintage Art Deco jewellery that was made during this era is more available than you may think. In order to avoid accidentally purchasing a replica piece, though, it’s always best to buy through reputable jewellers that specialise in vintage jewellery so you can be sure you’re getting an authentic Art Deco collectible.