Title: A New Life for Revival Jewelry Styles: Archaeological, Renaissance and Egyptian Abstract: Dating from the 1990s, this necklace made by Castellani in 19th century archeological revival style features heart-shaped and palmette pendants with bead spacers on foxtail chain. This close-up photo of the necklace’s elements show its twisted wire details and granulation. Courtesy of Frances Klein Antiques & Estate Jewelry. Photo by Tino Hammid/GIA & Tino Hammid.

Revival jewelry embodies a long-standing tradition of drawing inspiration from the past – either by copying or reinterpreting ancient motifs. It is a way for us to wear jewelry pieces that connect us to the rich history of the beginning of civilization.
Archaeological Revival
Archaeological Revival was spurred by discoveries of buried artifacts – after the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in 79 CE – uncovered in the cities of Herculaneum in 1738 and Pompeii in 1748. A century later, haphazard excavation techniques had improved somewhat, creating a second wave of interest in revival jewelry prompted by discoveries in Etruscan burial sites.
After opening the Regolini-Galassi tomb in 1836, jewelers Fortunato Pio and Alessandro Castellani were granted access by papal authorities to study the ancient gold jewelry. They were also given access to huge collections of antiquities between 1840 and 1850, making it possible for the Castellani family to study the art of Etruscan granulation, filigree and other gold work. They began to uncover the mystery of how the ancients created their designs by soldering detail to the metal rather than carving, punching, or cutting.

Eugène Fontenay was one of the leading jewelers working in France in the third quarter of the century and his jewelry was considered among the most technically refined of the work produced at this time. This gold Etruscan revival pendant features matte enamel decoration, rose-cut diamonds, granulation, and beading, all associated with the work of Eugène Fontenay (1824–1887) and archaeological revival jewelry. Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Photo by Joseph Coscia.
Michelangelo Caetani, an Italian scholar interested in literature, sculpture and goldsmithing, encouraged them to concentrate on ancient-style jewelry, providing them with models of the finest jewelry examples from antiquity. Through their association, he became a pivotal influencer of their designs. The Castellani firm also incorporated Egyptian scarabs into their designs.
Renaissance Revival
Jewelry took its inspiration from a variety of sources in the 19th century, including from Renaissance pieces that survived and those that were preserved in jewelry design books. A colored gemstone or pearl as the central focal point, surrounded by smaller gems, was a hallmark of the Renaissance Revival style of pendants, brooches and earrings. Various enameling techniques were often used as colorful accents.

The gold Renaissance revival style bar brooch by Tiffany & Co. features three sculpted flower head clusters. The left cluster contains six blue sapphires surrounding an orange garnet. The right cluster contains a center green stone surrounded by six orange garnets. The center element is an old European cut diamond surrounded by small diamonds. Courtesy of Neil Lane, Inc., Beverly Hills. Photo by Tino Hammid/GIA & Tino Hammid.
Renaissance-themed costume balls were popular during the 19th century and great effort was taken to recreate the period costumes and jewelry worn at these lavish events.
Hans Holbein the Younger, a German artist in the Tudor period (1485-1603), was an early influencer of Renaissance Revival jewelry. His paintings portrayed Tudor royalty and the upper class, who set the fashion. Once seen in London, his paintings influenced the fashion of high society dances in the 19th century and thus inspired British Renaissance Revival jewelry.

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Carlo Guiliano was well-known in Western Europe from the 1840s to the 1890s for his interpretive Renaissance Revival style creations. He employed champlevé, basse-taille and en ronde bosse enameling techniques in his designs that featured rubies, emeralds and sapphires to cater to his wealthy patrons. Giuliano and other revivalist jewelers often employed ancient techniques and tools in their work, such as die-stamping, a technique used by Hellenistic goldsmiths.

This Renaissance revival style gold brooch and stickpin features a grotesque mask in the center and is accented with acanthus leaf. Courtesy of Neil Lane, Inc., Beverly Hills. Photo by Tino Hammid/GIA & Tino Hammid.
Renaissance Revival jewelry revisited the grotesque style, which is derived from the Italian grotteschi and refers to the decoration of grottoes found circa 1500 during Roman excavations, particularly of the Golden House of Nero, 65-68 C.E. The word “grotesque” involves mixed animal, human and plant forms in strange configurations one might find less than beautiful.
Although the animal heads and other motifs sometimes held symbolic significance, grotesque, in general, is purely decorative.
The most notable French Renaissance Revival jewelers were Lucien Falize, Alphonse Fouquet and Louis Wièse, and included the larger jewelry houses of Boucheron, Chaumet and Vever.

This 1930s Egyptian Revival scarab brooch features wings fashioned in plique-à-jour enameling set in 14K gold. The scarab beetle is lapis lazuli accented with pearl. Courtesy of Marilyn & Co. Photo by Kevin Schumacher/GIA.
Egyptian Revival
Egyptian Revival jewelry came into its golden age in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The completion of the Suez Canal in 1869 connected the Mediterranean and Red Seas and propelled opportunities for travel and an interest in Egyptian culture. The opening of the tomb of the Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun in 1922 revealed ancient treasures in the southern Mediterranean world and sparked awe among those who saw them. These monumental events were instrumental to the emergence of Egyptian Revival jewelry.
The Egyptians believed plants and animals were sacred and the scarab beetle, lotus flower are recurring motifs in Egyptian design. According to Egyptian culture the scarab beetle was a sign of rebirth; the winged scarab signified coming into being. Cats and other animals were revered as gods. The lotus, symbolic of Upper Egypt, represents an emerging god in some creation myths.

This Egyptian revival style gold brooch is by T.B. Starr, a prominent New York City jeweler in during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It features a carved amethyst scarab, with green, blue and red enameling, and a falcon with a demantoid garnet as its eye. The piece evokes the exotic treasures unearthed from Egyptian royal tombs, embellished with symbolic motifs such as scarabs, lotus blossoms, sphinxes and ibises that were thought to ensure protection from evil and the promise of eternal life. Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
The palette of colors in Egyptian artifacts and art were also symbolic: red represented the desert; green evoked the fertile lands of the Nile Valley; blue symbolized the sky and water; and yellow signified the Sun. The pharaoh and sphinx motifs are easily recognizable as Egyptian symbols.
It is no wonder that an artistic interest in Archaeological, Renaissance and Egyptian Revival themes remains alive in jewelry today. Source: GIA @topic:6


Title: Leaf Motifs: Timeless Beauty for All Seasons of Jewelry Abstract: Combine emeralds and gold with the sophisticated design of Cartier and voilà − earrings of timeless beauty. Courtesy of a private collector. Photo by Tino Hammid/Copyright GIA and Tino Hammid

	Infused with inspiration, the commonplace becomes extraordinary. The humble leaf, for example – from the simple shapes of some to the complex web of veins in others – has captivated artists, including jewelry designers, for centuries. The simple leaf has transformed into enduring beauty throughout the periods of jewelry history.

	Leaves hold symbolism in many cultures, but in general, they symbolize fertility and growth. The green leaves of spring and summer depict hope, renewal and revival. Blazing yellow, orange and red leaves of fall represent the change of season. Ultimately, fallen leaves complete the circle of life with the final stages: decline and death.

	In the Chinese tradition, leaves represent all of the beings in the universe; they collectively allude to people because of their vast number.

	In heraldic coat of arms, leaves represent different virtues or qualities. For example, oak leaves represent strength, heroism and victory. Grape leaves represent plenty, freedom and rebirth. Holly or mistletoe represents truth, foresight and defense.

	The olive branch, a symbol of peace and goodwill in Western culture, originated in Ancient Greece, where it was used to form a crown as the prize for the winner at the Olympic games. Laurel leaves were also woven into a wreath to honor heroes, scholars and poets. The symbolic importance of laurel has been passed down to modern times in a number of ways. It is the source of the words baccalaureate, poet laureate and Nobel laureate, derived directly from the practice of bestowing a laurel garland for a notable achievement.

	The creativity in the jewelry seen here shows no indication of the designer or jeweler "resting on their laurels.”

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	Leaves are seen as both accent and focal points in Victorian, Art Nouveau and 20th century jewelry. The Renaissance inspired the early Victorian era with flowers, branches, leaves, grapes and berries dominating the design motifs. The Art Nouveau period saw a resurgence of enameling, a metal technique that lends itself to the free-flowing lines of flowers and leaves.

	The leaf motif flourishes in the 20th century designs of Tiffany & Co., Cartier, Schlumberger and René Boivin − and is sure to remain a favorite on its perennial journey through history. Source: GIA @topic:6


Title: Cameos: Timeless, Miniature Carvings for Jewelry Lovers Abstract: A group of cameos shows the progression from rough shell to the final carved cameo. Gift of Kessler Mfg & Imports Inc. Photo by Kevin Schumacher/GIA

Alexander the Great commissioned his portrait – in the likeness of a god – to be engraved in stone in the third century BCE, according to jewelry expert Anna M. Miller, author of “Cameos Old and New.” This was the first time a cameo – a three-dimensional figure carved out of stone – was seen in Egypt. It is perhaps the first known selfie!

Cameo portraits of rulers and nobility or scenes of historical events have been highly valued ever since. Prior to Alexander, carvings were cut below the surface – intaglio – and used as seals of identification. The seals usually depicted animals of strength, such as lions or bears, and figures from Greek or Roman mythology.

A courtship cameo shell brooch from the Georgian era shows depth of color and detail in a landscape scene. Courtesy of MMH Collection. Photo by Robert Weldon/GIA
Cameos can be carved in low relief (barely standing out from the background) or in high relief (projecting prominently above the background). Quality factors in evaluating cameos include the type of medium used, as well as the setting, condition, detail of carving, subject matter and signature of the artist.

Shell became a popular medium in French and Italian cameos during the Renaissance. Cassis rufa, known as cornelian, is a common type of shell used for cameos and varies in color from very light to deep brown orange. Cassis madagascariensis, commonly known as emperor helmet shell or sardonyx shell, is a thick, dark brown shell. It is the largest mollusk shell and resembles banded agate when carved.

The discovery of large deposits of carnelian (an inorganic rock that is different from the shell cornelian, which is organic) and agate in the Idar-Oberstein region of Germany in the 16th and 17th century spurred a renewed interest in cameos. Onyx, sardonyx, carnelian, jasper and quartz were widely used materials during this period and are ideal for carving because of their relative hardness and color zoning.

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Cameos were popular in the Victorian era in England and Europe because Queen Victoria was fond of jewelry and favored them. Portraits of royalty and statesmen continued to be popular subjects, along with profiles of women dressed in finery, youthful maidens, religious icons and mythological gods and goddesses. Gem materials such as sapphire, garnet, jade, opal, coral and quartz gained favor for cameo carving in the Victorian era.

Queen Victoria went into mourning after Prince Albert died in 1861, but did not give up her penchant for wearing jewelry. She often chose jewelry made of jet, a fossilized form of coal. Lava cameos also rose in popularity as mourning jewelry during the Victorian era. Enterprising artisans realized that lava from the remains of Pompeii was a suitable material for carving cameos. These were sought after as a souvenir by status-conscious Victorians to show they had taken a European tour. Jet and lava are suitable for high relief carving – a quality factor in evaluating cameos – and are collectible.

The goddess Bacchante is carved in high relief from black lava and shows fine detail of leaves and clusters of grapes in her hair. Cameos dating to BCE 79 were discovered in 1748 in the ruins of ancient Pompeii. Lava cameos were popular in Victorian England as souvenirs of a European tour. Courtesy of MMH Collection. Photo by Robert Weldon/GIA
Cameos continued to be popular after Queen Victoria’s death and artisans expanded their carving materials to include turquoise, ruby, lapis lazuli, aquamarine, peridot and topaz.
In the 19th and 20th centuries, Italian carvers Tommaso Saulini, his son Luigi Saulini, along with Giovanni Noto, were known to sign their work. The British royal family commissioned Tomasso Saulini to carve portraits of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert and his work is housed at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. The Italian Republic commissioned Noto to create official gifts, including a work for the wedding of Charles and Diana of England. Most works by these masters of cameo carving reside in museums and private collections.

The rich history and lore of cameos make them a fascinating avenue into the world of collecting for history, mythology and jewelry buffs. Source: GIA @topic:10


Title: Book Review: Figures & Faces: The Art of Jewelry Abstract: By Patrick Mauriès and Évelyne Possémé, 127 pp., hardcover, illus., published by Thames & Hudson Ltd., London. US$24.95.

Patrick Mauriès and Évelyne Possémé have written a trilogy of books dedicated to decorative themes and the art of jewelry. Preceded by Flora and Fauna, Figures & Faces explores the human form as depicted in jewelry. The books exclusively feature items from the collection of the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris.
The book opens with a preface by Olivier Gabet, director of the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, and a forward by Marie Vallanet and Nicolas Bas, the presidents of École des Arts Joailliers and Van Cleef & Arpels, respectively. Each sets up the reader for the beauty in the pages to come. Next come essays titled “Discreet Effigies,” and “The Bejeweled Body.” The first, written by Patrick Mauriès, explores the history of the human form in jewels of adornment. Here, Mauriès traces the evolution of jewelry as a means to depict religious and mythological figures to its use as talismans of great sentimentality and, ultimately, of love. The second esssay, written by Évelyne Possémé, discusses the societal attitudes of the use of the human body in jewelry.
The rest of the book consists of chapters on devotion, love, faces, portraits, fantasy and the Art of the Vanitas. “Mythological Figures” covers just that: this section shows lovely jewelry set with carvings of Medusa, Minerva, Achilles, and other Greco-Roman figures. The popularity of this subject matter has ebbed and flowed throughout history but the authors recall how the popularity of the female form in jewelry peaked during the Art Nouveau period. The photographs throughout this book are very well done and I was amazed, particularly in this chapter, with the minute details these photos could reveal in the carved pieces shown here. For example, even in rings, details such as nostrils, eyelids, and individual wisps of hair are carefully depicted.
The chapter “Figures of Devotion” highlights jewelry in religious motifs from the Byzantine era to present day. Of particular note here is the discussion on reverse painting, which was frequently used to show religious scenes that include full-bodied figures. Reverse painting is a technique involving painting a scene, in reverse, on a transparent material, usually glass or rock crystal quartz. The painting is then flipped over and set into all forms of jewelry so that the image is now sandwiched between the transparent material and a backing material, usually precious metal. The details of these tiny works of art can be staggering and very beautiful.
“Figures of Love” points out that jewelry “often conveys a message of love,” and fittingly, can often show Cupids, putti, clasped hands, and intertwined human forms. An interesting point made in this chapter is the fact that aluminum, when first discovered, was considered a precious metal and was treated appropriately. As a result, there are many pieces of art cast in or created from aluminum. A stunning nineteenth century bracelet of two putti, made of aluminum, gold, rubies, and diamonds is included in this chapter.
Next comes the chapter called, “Historical Faces.” The chapter features an impressive array of pieces showcasing images of various kings, queens, and other notable figures. In “Personal Portraits” we learn that during the eighteenth century it became acceptable to carry images of loved ones. Prior to that time, it was considered “unseemly” to wear items of such sentimentality. The chapter features jewelry set with painted and enamel portraits, as well as cameos. And “Figures of Fantasy” places an emphasis on feminine figures and provocative body parts—lips, hands—again using the style of the Art Nouveau era, executed in all manner of materials or sculpted in precious metal.
The final chapter, “The Art of the Vanitas” features jewelry that depicts skulls. “Vanitas” refers to works of art that contain symbols of death or depict symbolic reminders of the inevitability of death. These memento mori, or reminders that death will come for everyone, can be found in rosaries and all manner of jewelry. Notable in this chapter are an amazing enameled pomander shaped as a skull and an impressive skull-shaped watch case.
As a reader, I found the text engaging and to the point. It was not unduly heavy, making it enjoyable to read. As a jewelry lover myself, I greatly enjoyed the beautifully photographed, and painstakingly crafted pieces found at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs. Having never had the opportunity to visit that particular museum, I now hope for the chance one day.
I have admittedly not read the previous two texts in this set of three. I now plan to backtrack and read Flora and Fauna because of how extraordinary I found Figures & Faces to be. I would gladly recommend this book to anyone interested in the history of jewelry. Source: GIA @topic:6


Title: The Creation of a Magnificent Suite of Peridot Jewelry: From the Himalayas to Fifth Avenue Abstract: A magnificent suite of peridot: The ultimate value of a gemstone suite lies not only in the cost and quality of the materials themselves, but also in the selection of the rough, the quality of the faceting, and the intricacy of the setting in a well-designed and well-manufactured suite of jewelry. This article chronicles the creation of a fine suite of peridot jewelry from the mine in the Himalayas to the manufacture of the necklace, bracelet, ring, and earrings. Eight kilograms (40,000 carats) of peridot rough from the Sapat Valley region of Pakistan was purchased in early 2004. Following the assessment of the rough, careful preforming and faceting produced a precisely matched suite of Asscher-cut peridots. The suite comprises 54 gems ranging from 3.57 to 18.30 ct, for a total weight of 350.40 ct. Van Cleef & Arpels in Paris designed the jewelry, and the New York atelier of Van Cleef & Arpels manufactured the five pieces. Source: GIA @topic:7


Title: Exhibition Review: Beyond Bling: Jewelry from the Lois Boardman Collection Abstract: Figure 1. Karl Fritsch, Ring, 2005, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, gift of Lois and Bob Boardman, © Karl Fritsch; photo © Museum Associates/LACMA.

As materials available to jewelry artists become more eclectic, so does their output. Such is the case with the 300-plus exquisite contemporary pieces from around the world (figure 1) donated to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) by Lois Boardman of Pasadena. Beyond Bling: Jewelry from the Lois Boardman Collection, LACMA’s exhibition of this donation, contains more than 50 of the pieces. The nontraditional jewelry, acquired by Boardman over several decades, features materials such as plastic, glass, steel, feathers, and even LEGO blocks alongside more traditional choices such as gold and silver. Pieces she found during her travels are no less arresting than those she commissioned, such as the gold cast of her nose, completed in 1988 (figure 2).

Figure 2. Gerd Rothmann, Die Goldene Nase Nosepiece, 1988, cast from Lois
Boardman's nose. Los Angeles County Museum of Art, gift of Lois and Bob Boardman,
© Gerd Rothmann, photo © Museum Associates/LACMA.
The exhibition space itself is modeled on the Renaissance phenomenon known as the “cabinet of curiosities,” private collections of unusual objects that defied easy classification. The pieces in the otherwise spare room are displayed in the categories available to early scientists: Animal, Vegetable, and Mineral. “Plastic” has been added as a more recent classification. Among the pieces are David Bielander’s blend of leather, silver, and thumbtacks creating the startlingly realistic Koi bracelet (figure 3, left); Miriam Hiller’s powder-coated stainless steel Loperenias brooch, which evokes the open bloom of a flower (figure 3, right); and Bernhard Schobinger’s ring, with a nail as both band and setting and a smoky quartz as its centerpiece. Many of these avant-garde pieces are displayed alongside their natural inspirations, as with David Bielander’s stainless steel teaspoon and gold Dung Beetle brooch, which is shown alongside Egyptian scarabs dating as far back as 1991 BCE. Nikki Marx’s Royal Raiment necklace of peacock feathers and suede (figure 4) is strikingly similar to a feathered Incan tunic from the late 15th to early 16th century.

Figure 3. Left: David Bielander, Koi bracelet, 2013, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, gift of Lois and Bob Boardman, © David Bielander, photo © Museum Associates/LACMA. Right: Mirjam Hiller, Loperenias brooch, 2012, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, gift of Lois and Bob Boardman, © Mirjam Hiller, photo © Museum Associates/LACMA.

Figure 4. Nikki Marx’s Royal Raiment necklace, made from peacock feathers and suede, is set beside a traditional Incan feathered tunic. Photo © Museum Associates/LACMA.
The pieces grouped in the Plastics category may be the most startling of the lot. Plastic’s malleability and versatility are well known, and these jewelers make the most of its properties. Among the plastic creations are a torso-sized “necklace” reminiscent of a superhero costume and a torque necklace by Ann Scott that uses copper and silver. The centerpiece of this section is probably Maharajah’s 6th Necklace, Emiko Oye’s recreation of the treasure made by the House of Boucheron in 1928 for the maharajah of Patiala, India. LEGO pieces are fitted together to stand in for the emeralds and diamonds in the original (figure 5).

Figure 5. Emiko Oye, Maharajah’s 6th Necklace, 2008, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, gift of Lois and Bob Boardman, © Emiko Oye, photo © Museum Associates/LACMA.
As befits such a modern Collection, Beyond Bling is on Snapchat. Here visitors can insert themselves into scenes and virtually “wear” jewelry from the Boardman collection while seeing photos of previous attendees. The multimedia component combines with the show’s modern artistry to make this a truly 21st century jewelry exhibition.

Beyond Bling: Jewelry from the Lois Boardman Collection is on view at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) until February 5, 2017. Admission is $15 for adults, $10 for seniors age 65 and over and students, and free for children age 17 and under. All guests receive free general admission on the second Tuesday of every month. LACMA is open Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Friday from 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. The museum is closed on Wednesdays. Source: GIA @topic:6


Title: Exhibition Review: Glitterati: Portraits and Jewelry from Colonial Latin America Abstract: Figure 1. Tiara, Colombia or Ecuador, circa 1690. Silver gilt, emeralds, and pearls. Denver Art Museum, Gift of Robert J. Stroessner; 1992.74

In Glitterati: Portraits and Jewelry from Colonial Latin America, the Denver Art Museum (DAM) displays jewelry and portraiture, as well as furniture and other personal objects (figure 1), that reflect personal adornment traditions in all classes and walks of life during the Spanish colonization period in Mexico and South America (1521–1800). Various indigenous tribes have a long tradition of metalworking, and the land is abundant in natural resources. Gold and silver, along with emeralds and diamonds and organic materials such as pearls and coral, are plentiful in the regions covered by the exhibition. The fusion of old and new is a major theme of the exhibition and is expressed through materials, techniques, and design. The talents of the native people and the European jewelers meshed, resulting in glorious creations such as the ones on display.

The exhibit, from the DAM’s Spanish Colonial collection, features a wall of 19th century portraits of Incan rulers from Peru. The rulers use lovely stamped stickpins, called tupu, with flat, round heads to fasten their cloaks; two of these pins are on display nearby. The hammered gold of the pins uses a stamped and chased design to draw out themes of the sun and heavens on these lovely ornaments. A beautiful gold filigree crucifix filial, dating from the 17th century (figure 2), features cabochon emeralds. Close examination reveals tool marks indicating that these gems were recycled from other, older jewelry, perhaps from the pre-Columbian era. The stone’s rough cabochon shaping contrasts with the delicate metalwork. Filigree has roots in both the Spanish and regional cultures, and is used to great effect in this piece.

Figure 2. Cross finial, Colombia or Ecuador, circa 1600. Gold, emeralds, pearls. Denver
Art Museum, Gift of the Stapleton Foundation of Latin American Colonial Art made possible
by the Renchard family; 1990.526.
Pearls and coral are present in almost every piece shown. Records from Columbus’ landing in present-day Venezuela in 1498 indicate that the native women were adorned in pearl and coral beads. Nueva Cadiz was settled in part because of the rich pearl beds nearby. Pearls and coral were available to all members of this society. This is demonstrated in Manuel de Arrellano’s portrait “Rendering of a Mulatto,” which depicts a woman of African and Spanish descent draped in pearls (including a six-strand necklace), earrings and coral rings. These materials were still sought by the upper class, and the intricate tiara in figure 1, with its lustrous white pearls and large, angular emeralds in an intricate gilt setting, is testimony to this.  Even the clergy wore status symbols; priests wore rosaries, badges and rings, not to mention the richly chased silver and silver plate used to glorify God during mass. A collection of handpainted nuns’ badges, worn as brooches by women who devoted themselves to Christ, feature saints and the Virgin Mary. Not all pieces were so opulent, and you can also see examples of the blue glass beads that were brought to South America by the Spanish. In fact, the Philippine trade ships that brought new exotic gemstones and ivory also carried paste stones and other materials for the equivalent of modern-day costume jewelry.

Figure 3. Diego de Borgraf, Portrait of Saint Catherine of Alexandria (detail), Mexico, 1656.
Oil on canvas. Denver Art Museum, Gift of Frederick and Jan Mayer; 2011.426.
Portraiture featuring members of the upper class makes up a large portion of the exhibit. Intended to display the sitter at the height of their finery, military medals and heraldic symbols decorate the men while the woman drip with diamonds, pearls, and other precious gems set in tiaras, brooches, bracelets, rings, and necklaces.  Even religious figures were not exempt; St. Catherine of Alexandria, seen in figure 3, is shown with a gold and pearl diadem, drop earrings, ruby shoulder clips and a large ruby brooch, as well as the pearls sewn to her neckline. Much of the jewelry follows the European fashions of the time, including trends of the courts. Aside from these surface implications, it is fascinating to see how many of the artists used primary colors and simple dabs of gold, silver, and white highlights capture the sparkle and richness of the stones. While the exhibit could draw more parallels between the art of the native people and the society that developed after colonization, on the whole it is a glimpse into the opulent costuming traditions of the time.

Glitteratti: Portraits and Jewelry from Colonial Latin America will be on display through November 22nd, 2016, on the fifth floor of the Denver Art Museum, in the Spanish Colonial collection. Admission is included in the $10 fee for nonmember Colorado residents ($8 for seniors and college students). The museum is open 10 to 5 Saturday through Thursday, and 10 to 8 on Fridays. Source: GIA @topic:6


Title: Metalwork Takes a Bow: Techniques that Enhance Gemstone Jewelry Abstract: Modern designer Andrea Cagnetti, known as Akelo, employs Etruscan-inspired designs using both filigree and granulation in this “Addebaran” box, 1999. Working in gold, he draws from his ancient ancestors for inspiration. Courtesy of Akelo, Andrea Cagnetti. Photo by Robert Weldon/GIA

Like a supporting actor stealing the spotlight from the star, fine metalwork can outshine the gems it displays. This collection of jewelry images, with items dating from pre-Columbian times forward, illustrates filigree and granulation, openwork, hammering techniques, engraving, Florentine finish, and mokume gane – all used to create the detail worthy of an award-winning performance.

Carolyn Tyler uses granulation, filigree and repoussé in this tourmaline and moonstone ring and earrings. She creates pieces inspired by artifacts from ancient civilizations with themes in nature, mythology and tribal art. Her jewelry is fashioned in 22K gold by Balinese crafters. Courtesy of Elise Misiorowski. Photo by Tino Hammid/GIA and Tino Hammid
Filigree and Granulation
Filigree and granulation have been used since ancient times. Filigree is created by soldering fine metal wires into intricate patterns. The wires may be plain or decoratively twisted. Historically, filigree was created by applying wires to an underlying base. As the craft evolved, the base was abandoned in favor of a lighter, openwork jewelry item with a lacy appearance. The openwork style was especially popular during the 19th century.

Granulation is an ancient jewelry art in which small gold particles adhere to the surface in bead-like fashion without apparent evidence of solder. It can be applied to create textures or designs. The Sumerians first used granulation, followed by the Etruscans in Western Europe.

The eye is immediately drawn to the delicate saw-piercing openwork platinum in this diamond brooch/pendant in trefoil motif with laurel wreaths in each lobe, surrounded by honeycomb and a lace border. All edges are milligrained. Courtesy of Neil Lane, Inc., Beverly Hills. Photo by Tino Hammid/GIA and Tino Hammid
Openwork
Openwork is a piercing technique that creates a pattern in the metal that lets light come through it. Saw-piercing is an openwork technique using a drill and jeweler’s saw to create a decorative motif. Upon close examination, you can see that the edges may be pressed with a milligraining tool – imagine a wood-handled pizza cutter-like tool that rolls out a small, beadlike pattern – that leaves the desired relief on the openwork metal and allows it to sparkle.

À jour, French for “to the day,” is another form of openwork created by sawing or piercing that makes it possible for light to enter from the back. The additional light enhances the gem’s scintillation and color, which improves its liveliness.

This moon and stars South Sea pearl pin in 18K gold features a hammered finish. Notice how the pattern of divots creates a warm glow. Although this is a modern pin, hammered finishes were particularly popular during the Arts and Crafts period. Courtesy of Leslie Weinberg Designs. Photo by Robert Weldon/GIA.
Hammered
A hammered finish is a decorative treatment created by the repeated blows of a small hammer with a specialized head to create an all-over pattern of divots. Although hammering dates back thousands of years, hammered finishes were particularly popular during the Arts and Crafts period (1860s to 1920s). Repoussé or repoussage uses a hammer and punch tool to raise the reverse side and chasing is when the artisan indents the metal surface by striking the tool with a hammer.

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Hand Engraving
Hand engraving is achieved by using gravers, chisels made of hardened steel in various shapes and sizes, to create different effects. A finish graver with delicate parallel lines is used to create a textured pattern of intersecting sets of lines known as a Florentine finish.

The Buccellati design house is known for its Florentine finish, which is recognized by its rich textural quality reminiscent of fine linen or lace. Their artisans also employ piercing techniques, which are used to create the look of honeycomb, lace or webbing. Atelier Buccellati dates to 1750 when goldsmith Contardo Buccellati made jewelry. The business rose to international fame when Mario Buccellatti took the lead from the1920s–1960s. Bucellati’s techniques and tools haven’t changed since the Renaissance.

George Sawyer is one of the few masters of mokume gane and has been perfecting his art since the 1970s. Gift of George Sawyer. Photo by Orasa Weldon/GIA
Mokume gane
Mokume gane was first made in 17th century Japan by master metalworker Denbei Shoami. The scarcity of precious metals in Japan led to the invention of new alloys and chemical treatments for coloring the alloys. Mokume gane uses layers of sheet metal of various alloys fused together to create a block. Mokume gane translates closely to “wood grain metal” or “wood eye metal,” describing the way the metal takes on the appearance of natural wood grain. The process was first used to make samurai swords.

The next time you admire a piece of beautiful jewelry, inspect the detail and craftsmanship of the metalwork to appreciate how a good supporting actor will make the star – the gem – shine. Source: GIA @topic:10


Title: Dictionary of Gemstones & Jewelry Abstract: The late Akira Chikayama was a noted gemologist who considered the Dictionary of Gemstones & Jewelry his personal “world heritage.” Indeed, the very scope of this dictionary is impressive. Entries include gems, minerals, sources, synthetics, treatments, jewelry findings, tools used in gem cutting and jewelry making, famous gemologists, scientists, mineralogists, and artists—the list goes on.
A massive undertaking to begin with, the book was translated from Japanese to English. But it did contain some minor errors. In the listing for the Searcy diamond, for example, there appears a photo of the Sancy. In the entry for “abraded culet,” the author likened it to an open culet, which I do not agree with. And seeing entries on Gübelin, Kunz, and Shipley made me wonder why Dana, Liddicoat, and Sinkankas were not included.
But as a general reference, the book serves its purpose well. The appendices alone are useful, covering a wide range of subjects and providing charts on birthstones, ring sizes, hallmarks, and more. Overall, this volume would make a nice addition to any gemological library if cost is not an issue.
Reviewed by Jana Miyahira-Smith
GIA, Carlsbad Source: GIA @topic:7


Title: Exhibition Review: Maker & Muse, Women of the 20th Century Art Jewelry Abstract: Figure 1. This aquamarine necklace (c. 1890) by Mrs. Philip (Charlotte) Newman, is seen here in its original box. Newman's work inspired artists and designers of the Arts and Crafts Movement. From the collection of Tereza M. M. Driehaus. Photograph by John A. Faier, 2014, © The Richard H. Driehaus Museum.

Maker & Muse, Women of the 20th Century Art Jewelry, which opened at Chicago’s Driehaus Museum on February 14, 2015, features over 250 pieces of jewelry made during the Arts and Crafts and Art Nouveau movements from British, French, German, Austrian, and American artisans.

The exhibit, which runs through January 3, 2016, is housed in the opulent Driehaus Museum, a fairly new space housed in Gilded Age mansion, located in the heart of McCormickville and a block away from Chicago’s Magnificent Mile. Built in 1879, the Driehaus Museum was originally the home of the Nickerson family, whose patriarch, Samuel, was a distiller for the Union Army and at one-time president of The First National Bank of Chicago. Richard H. Driehaus, who founded the museum in 2003, spent five years restoring it, opening it to the public in 2011. These ever-changing galleries are filled with furnishings, chandeliers, and decorative art from the 19th century to early 20th century Driehaus Collection.

The exhibit is housed on the second floor hallway and in bedrooms that were once inhabited by the Nickersons. At the top of the landing is a case of four pieces of distinctive jewelry, including an aquamarine necklace (figure 1), by Charlotte Newman (1840–1927), who broke through the glass ceiling of women jewelers. After the death of her mentor, John Brogden, Newman continued producing pieces in her own workshop. At the 1889 Paris Exposition, just as the Arts and Crafts movement was beginning she was the only woman listed as a collaborator on the jewelry exhibited.

The first room of the exhibit is titled “With A Hammer in Her Hand: British Arts and Crafts Jewelry.” As the Arts and Crafts Movement (1890–1910) took hold, simpler designs became the fashion for clothing, and the jewelry was made to compliment this change. Brooches, necklaces, clasps, and buttons were became common accoutrements, while earrings and bracelets fell out of favor. The movement away from industrialization allowed time for handmade items with natural materials, colored gems, and enamel which was affordable for many economic classes. Famous British jewelry designers included in this room are Charles Ashbee, Liberty & Company and its designers, Archibald Knox and the Guild of Handicraft, Child & Child, Sybil Dunlop, and Dorrie Nossiter. Husband and wife teams such as the Gaskins and Dawsons also gained acclaim. Notable pieces in this room include the silver blue enameled winged tiara set with a central citrine made in 1990 by Child and Child and a pair of life-like horn lily pad hair combs with moonstone drew drops made in 1906 by Ella Naper (figure 2).

Figure 2. English designer Ella Naper completed these lily-pad hair combs circa 1906. From the collection of Richard H. Driehaus. Photograph by John A. Faier, 2014, © The Richard H. Driehaus Museum.
Tiffany & Company and Marcus & Company, who were in fierce competition, are shown in the next room, themed “American Art Jewelry.” After his father’s death in 1902, Louis Comfort Tiffany became Tiffany & Co.’s first official design director. He established Tiffany Studios on the sixth floor of the 5th Avenue building at Madison and 45th Streets in New York, which was supervised by artists Julia Munson from 1902 until 1914 and Meta K. Overbeck from 1914 until 1934. Louis Tiffany himself left the studio in 1918.

As a leader of the Art Nouveau movement, Louis Comfort Tiffany is best known for his stained glass windows and lamps, several of which are exhibited here. Since he was inspired by nature, color, and design, his move into jewelry, particularly his smaller enameled works, was a natural progression, resulting in beautiful pieces encrusted with opals, garnets, moonstones, and jade. The most notable piece by Louis Comfort Tiffany is in the central case, the 1918 platinum, blue zircon, diamond, chrysoberyl, amethyst, and demantoid garnet necklace. Marcus and Company rivaled this piece with it 1900 gold, natural pearl, demantoid garnet and enameled necklace. In Germany, the Arts and Crafts movement was known as Jugendstil. In Vienna it was founded by Josef Hoffman of the Wiener Werkstätte as a cooperation of designers, artists and architects best known for their work on the Fledermaus Caberet (1907-1913). This movement is encompassed in “Jewelry as Art, Germany and Austria in the Early 20th Century.” Jewelry and objects in this gallery include boxes, dishes, and vases mostly made by Josef Hoffman and Karl Rothmuller. One striking piece on display is a silver, opal, and mirrored glass pendant created by Josef Hoffman in 1904 (figure 3).

Figure 3. Austrian artisan Josef Hoffmann, of the Wiener Werkstätte, completed this silver, opal, and mirrored glass pendant in 1904. From a private collection. Courtesy of the Richard H. Driehaus Museum.
The awe-inspiring pieces in “Metamorphosis, The Female Figure in Art Nouveau” are all about the muse: curves, folds, winged sylphs, femme fatale, Medusa. This room is filled with nature-inspired objects. Beautifully crafted art pieces were made for wealthy clients by men such as Rene Lalique, Alphonse Mucha, Louis Aucoc Fils, Georges Fouquet, and Maison Vever. Rene Lalique’s stunning gold, enamel, glass, diamond and baroque pearl chrysanthemum pendant/brooch is found in this room (figure 4).

Figure 4. Rene Lalique’s chrysanthemum pendant/brooch, completed c. 1900. From the collection of Richard H. Driehaus. © 2014 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / ADAGP, Paris. Photograph by John A. Faier, 2014, © The Richard H. Driehaus Museum.
The final room, “Beautiful, Useful, and Enduring, Chicago Arts and Crafts Jewelry”, is filled with Chicago-based jewelers such as LeBolt & Company, Elinor Klapp, Madeline Wynn, Florence Koehler, Frances Glessner, and the now-defunct Kalo Shop. The Christia Reade crown for the Queen of the Lombard (Illinois) Lilac Festival, still used every year, and made from donated silver spoons, is also on display.

This exhibit is a must see for anyone interested in the Arts and Crafts and Art Nouveau periods. It is a rarity that all of these exquisite pieces are open to public viewing in the same place and time.

The admission fee to the museum is $20.00 which includes the special exhibit. Audio and guided tours are also available for an additional $5.00 each. The museum, located at 40 East Erie, is open every day, except Monday, from 10am to 5pm. Source: GIA @topic:6


Title: Book Review: Enduring Splendor: Jewelry of India’s Thar Desert Abstract: By Thomas K. Seligman and Usha R. Balakrishnan, softcover, 135 pp., illus., publ. by Fowler Museum at UCLA, Los Angeles, US$25.00.

In 2009, Thomas K. Seligman, director emeritus of the Cantor Arts Center at Stanford University, began research on the Thar of India with a focus on the soni caste of artisan jewelers. As Mr. Seligman’s research progressed, he proposed an exhibition featuring the work and stories of several individual sonis from Jaisalmer, in Rajasthan. Though many of the jewelers are highly skilled craftsmen, traditionally they do not sign their work; The study and exhibition, which would be co-curated by Mumbai-based jewelry scholar Usha Balakrishnan, would prove to be a unique opportunity to highlight these artists. This volume accompanied the exhibition.

In the book’s first chapter, “From Metal to Ornament: The Language of Jewelry,” Ms. Balakrishnan outlines a fascinating history of the region while explaining that the very nature of what jewelry represents in Indian culture has resulted in gaps in its history. For example, Hindus are traditionally cremated and their jewelry recycled within the family rather than being buried with the original owner. Also, constant migration of communities resulted in similar jewelry designs appearing in vast geographical regions. These complexities make a linear study extremely difficult. Indeed, Mr. Seligman’s study eventually became, according to folklorist Pravian Shukla, “the methodical documentation of the present in order to capture complete one moment in time.” Ms. Balakrishnan explains that there are three distinct categories of Indian jewelry: gold set with precious gems made for royalty and the very affluent, jewelry crafted primarily from silver, and finally tribal adornments made from base metals and materials such as shell and feathers. All are made by the soni, or jeweler. (The the surname Soni is common in Rajasthan to those in the jewelry-making trade.) She also discusses the deep significance of various forms of jewelry such as the hasli, a torque-type necklace that signifies a woman’s betrothal, charms that attract good luck, and pieces that fend off the “evil eye.”

The second chapter, “Four Sonis from Jaisalmer,” is a detailed examination of four of the many jewelry making families of the region. The family of Govindlal Soni, interviewed by Mr. Seligman, carries on traditional techniques and styles passed down from father to son through many generations (typically the only aspect of traditional jewelry-making undertaken by women is stringing). The family of Govindlal Soni has developed keen business acumen that has helped them to grow. Dharmendra and Om Soni are brothers who also carry on a family business established generations ago. This family specializes in making gold jewelry, with some silver jewelry made for the tourist trade. Hanuman Soni and sons specialize in traditional-style jewelry made for local people. All the jewelers in this family have trained in gold work but prefer to concentrate their efforts on fulfilling the needs of locals for traditional, heavy silver pieces. They also make pieces that are ordered and stocked by other shopkeepers. Hari Om Jewellers, established by Hari Ram Soni, and now run by his sons, developed a distinct jewelry style known for relief engraving and cut outs. This family specializes in making commissions for tourists. Several nice examples of each family’s work are depicted, showing how each has developed a distinctive style of their own.

Chapter three, “Pure Serendipity: An Odyssey into the World of Indian Jewelry” details the chance occurrence that led Ronald and Maxine Linde to collect Indian jewelry. Their first acquisition, shown in a full-page photograph on the first page of the chapter, was a spectacular necklace of gold, rubies, pearls, and diamonds. The Linde collection represents a great depth and diversity of ornaments and numerous pieces from their collection, promised gifts to UCLA, comprised most of the exhibition. The Linde’s collection is unique and special, as many collectors of Indian jewelry tend to gravitate to the Mughalera, with its grand pieces set with gold and precious gems. The Lindes have collected such items, as well as the silver jewelry of the lower castes and miniature items made for the statues of gods and goddesses. Pieces shown that the reviewer found particularly charming were a simple, silver hansadi neckpiece and a lovely gold, jade, ruby, and diamond armband dating from the late 17th to early 18th centuries.

Finally, “Selections from the Ronald and Maxine Linde Collection of Jewelry and Ritual Arts of India,” is devoted entirely to showcasing items from the collection from lavish, large, gold necklaces and earrings set with diamonds, rubies, pearls, and emeralds to humble, but still lovely, everyday silver earrings and everything in between. Photographed in high-resolution detail and shown against white backgrounds, the jewelry pops from every page and is a treat for the eye.

This reviewer found the book fascinating and very informative, as it concentrated on areas not usually visited with regards to Indian jewelry: the creation of everyday jewelry for the local communities as well as the background, histories, and motivations of the jewelers that so often remain anonymous. This is highly recommended reading for anyone interested in Indian jewelry as well as anyone interested in traditional, indigenous jewelry forms. Source: GIA @topic:6


Title: Book Review: Italian Jewelry in the 20th Century Abstract: By Melissa Gabardi, hardcover, 335 pp., illus., publ. by Silvana Editoriale S.p.A., Cinisello Balsamo, Milan, 2016, US$75.00.

This richly illustrated book offers a chronological history of jewelry produced in Italy from 1900 to 1990. Author Melissa Gabardi, a decorative arts historian and curator, presents these jeweled treasures in layers of context. Throughout the book, she provides readers with historical perspectives on the political, social, and economic events that shaped Italian society, and the world, during the different eras. Among the gripping illustrations is one from the Sunday weekly La Domenica del Corriere from December 1935, during Italy’s Fascist period, depicting Mussolini’s invented “Wedding Ring Day.” It shows a woman’s hand as she drops her gold wedding ring into an upturned soldier’s helmet, filled with others’ wedding rings and festooned in the colors of the Italian flag. Below, the caption reads, “L’offerta d’amore e di fede delle donne d’Italia” (“The offer of love and faith by the women of Italy,” using fede, a word for “faith” that also means “wedding ring”).

Gabardi provides additional context with a 26-page section containing the biographies of the more than 70 Italian jewelry artists, families, and houses presented or referenced in this book. She includes the long-established Torrini family, whose Florence goldsmith workshop opened in 1369, and the line of Musys, jewelers to generations of royalty, who began in Turin in 1707. The biographical sketches help readers less familiar with Italian jewelry history navigate the sometimes tortuous text as Gabardi describes the influences of other jewelers or methods and motifs that emerged across the eras.

Finally, the more than 300 images are bookended by four chapters written by three contributors who provide additional insights into the master goldsmith nucleus of the innovative Padua School, the transformation of Arezzo from a town known for industrial workshops to “Made in Italy” cache, the handcrafting and goldsmithing rise of Valenza, and the expansion of the gold industry in Vicenza.

The mostly full-color images are drawn from a wide range of sources and help frame the actual photographs of these captivating pieces, 150 of which were part of a four-month exhibit at Milan’s Poldi Pezzoli Museum until March 2017. The book features archival images from magazines, posters, and sales catalogues, as well as lithoprints and sketches. The jewelry includes museum pieces and dozens of rarely seen pieces from private collections and the archives of the individual jewelry houses, such as the Fasano and Floriana Cusi Archives. Among the many standout pieces are the rings and brooches of Enrico Serafini (1913–1968) of Florence. Gabardi does not neglect the killer B’s of Buccellatti and Bulgari or later-century jewelers known for luxury fashion and celebrity clientele, such as Pomellato and Damiani.

The author’s diligent research also preserves the legacy of lesser-known Italian jewelers, including those who broke with earlier French influences. Gabardi provides a comprehensive, sensitive, and scholarly appreciation for many Italian jewelers who might otherwise be lost to the ages, whether through lack of successors, failed partnerships, tragedy, or engulfment by global tastemakers. These pioneers ushered in waves of jewelry artistry rooted in an Italian spirit that survived the setbacks of war and hardship to emerge as an international paragon of craftsmanship and style.

Although the writing style sometimes takes readers on a bumpy ride, the book offers those who hold on a panoramic journey that captures the origins of modern Italian design. Jewelry designers, historians, and lovers of all things Italian will appreciate this uniquely curated effort. Source: GIA @topic:6


Title: Book Review: Fine Jewelry Couture: Contemporary Heirlooms Abstract: By Olivier Dupon, hardcover, 256 pp., illus., publ. by Thames & Hudson, New York, 2016, US$60.00.

Fine Jewelry Couture: Contemporary Heirlooms showcases the work of 37 jewelry designers from around the world. Author Olivier Dupon has pulled together a wide assortment of design styles, including the simple, almost calligraphic work of Cristina Ortiz; the historically inspired pieces of Silvia Furmanovich; the opulent baroque jewels designed by Opposite Jewels, Wendy Yue and Mauro Felter; the perfectly framed pearls of Autore; the mechanical precision of Elie Top; the gem-encrusted confections of Nam Cho and Morphée Joaillerie; the Art Deco-like and futuristic designs of Nikos Koulis; the delicate, exquisite enamels of Ilgiz Fazulzyanov; the playful, “insectiferous” pieces of Daniela Villegas; and the elegant, timeless work of Mana Matsuzaki. In short: There’s something here for all tastes.

Each designer’s work is accompanied by a single page of biography outlining some of their personal history, inspirations, and working philosophy, along with Dupon’s comments on the work. The text is separated into two columns by a thin, elegant line tipped with the initials of the designer’s name.

Almost all sections open with an example of the designer’s sketches, or occasionally, as in the case of Jasmine Alexander, a CAD rendering. It is always a pleasure to see the notes and thought processes of designers that are only visible in their sketch work; it’s an aspect of design that is too often overlooked. It is a shame that Villegas’ drawings, which were done on black paper and would have been striking in the original, did not reproduce well in the book.

As in any book about jewelry design, photos are paramount. Most of the photos in Fine Jewelry Couture, which appear to be largely supplied by the design houses, are excellent, showing well on mostly borderless white pages. However, there are some irregularities that, once noticed, sometimes overshadow the designs themselves and mar the overall presentation.

In some photos, reflections of varying strength or drop shadows have been added. While most images float on a white background, some remain framed as photos. Although the photos are still high quality, they are noticeably different from the others in the book. Occasional advertising-like model shots—such as the one with the cockatoo on the cover—are jarring elements in a book on design.

Sometimes the jewelry is used as a design element, with the image repeated in a radial pattern; or oriented upside down and joined, by a reflection, to a right-side-up version. Rather than enhancing the power of the jewelry, the technique minimizes the impact of the designs.

In some places, there could have been a much better use of enlargements and close-ups. Top’s work, which involves mechanisms that move and rotate, would have especially been served better by showing one series of good close-ups demonstrating how the mechanisms work, rather than distant shots described as being “open” or  “closed.”

While the irregularities in the style and use of the images do not take away from the high quality of the work illustrated, they do detract from what is otherwise a delightful source book on the work of a wide range of designers. They’re unfortunate in a book on design. Source: GIA @topic:6


Title: Book Review: Cartier Magician: High Jewelry and Precious Objects Abstract: By François Chaille, hardcover, 264 pp., illus., publ. by Flammarion, Paris, 2016, US$125.00.

Art historian François Chaille’s beautifully illustrated book focuses on the Magician Collection of high jewelry and precious objects by the House of Cartier. The book is divided into chapters such as “The Magical Art,” “The Magic of Light,” “The Magic of Design,” and “The Magic of Reality.” Each one is illustrated with pieces from the collection, as well as colorful artwork. The author takes the reader to a magical past when diamonds were illuminated by candlelight, then later thrown into a modern world of electric light, and explains how that changed jewelry setting. He explores the innovative designs of Cartier through the last century, and how this new collection is a continuation of the brand’s mystique.

The book begins with the historical belief that some stones hold supernatural properties, that nature is full of miracles and magical virtues. Chaille quotes French writer and diplomat Paul Claudel, a friend of the Cartier family. In 1937, inspired by a visit to the Cartier shop on Rue de la Paix, Claudel wrote of a child who dreamed of taking in his hand a “drop of dew that sparkles in the May dawn like a star.” He continues: “The child knows that this wonder, once on his index finger… would give magical powers.” Then he closed by saying, “But all this is no dream, it is real.”

The concept of Cartier as magician came from the poet Jean Cocteau, a loyal client. In his 1910 poem “The Frivolous Prince,” he called Cartier “that subtle magician who captures fragments of the moon on a thread of sun.” Chaille refers to the company’s workshops as a place where “Merlin the Magician and other conjurers are in attendance,” imparting life to gems. A Mystery clock from 2015 is shown as an example of the magical designs conjured by the House of Cartier. Its hands are suspended in crystal with no apparent connection to a mechanism, yet they still move.

The reader then walks through the history of light and its use in art, from the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles and paintings by Caravaggio to works by Van Gogh, Rothko, and Picasso and light sculptures by James Turrell and Robert Irwin. The author discusses the magic of light in art, and how we react to it as viewers. The importance of light and how it plays on gemstones cannot be emphasized enough; it is vital to the life of the stone and to jewelry. Louis Cartier started to use platinum in the late 19th century to show diamonds at their best, especially in the newly discovered electric light. The age of platinum jewelry had come into its own, and Cartier was at the forefront of this evolution. Platinum and diamond bracelets, tiaras, necklaces, and rings with names such as Clairvoyant, Luminance, Psyché, Oracle, and Incarnation fill these pages, adding to the mysticism of the Magician Collection.

The Illumination bracelet is made to create light through a combination of colorless diamonds and rock crystal. At the center of the bracelet is an impressive 31.16 ct D-IF emerald-cut diamond flanked by rectangular diamond-set platinum frames containing etched rock crystal panels. These panels lie on top of one another. Light reflects off the diamond through the crystal panels, which act like mirrors to reflect the light back. It is a wondrously imaginative design. Cartier creations use each of the major diamond cuts to enhance the shine, sparkle, and luster of their high jewelry. Since the 1920s they have used them in various combinations to bring a kaleidoscope of light effects to their jewelry. This is illustrated in a 1929 platinum and diamond bracelet that contains brilliant-cut, baguette-cut, single-cut, and bullet-shaped cut diamonds. Also illustrated is the Luminance necklace, which continues this tradition today by combining 11 modified triangular-shaped rose-cut diamonds totaling 19.15 carats with round brilliant-cuts to create scintillation and luster.

The chapter titled “The Magic of Design” gives a background on 1950s and ’60s kinetic art, which focuses on motion, and Op Art, a style that uses optical illusions. Alexander Calder, Victor Vasarely, and Yaacov Agam are a few of the artists whose work illustrates these styles. The chapter features Cartier pieces that transform from one thing to another or have a magical sense of movement. One page has six vintage cigarette cases from 1912 through the ’20s and ’30s. These cases have elaborate Art Deco designs that pre-date the Op Art movement by decades, yet look very contemporary with their kinetic optical illusions and use of positive and negative space.

The sense of movement and transformation is echoed in pieces from the Magician Collection. The Incantation necklace is made of platinum set with round and baguette-cut diamonds on a petal-like fringe. Hanging from this fringe is a 22.84 ct cushion-shaped Ceylon sapphire. The sapphire can be removed and worn as a ring, and the curve of the necklace can be inverted to make a completely different design. The Ubiquité set is a pair of platinum and diamond-set rings that can be worn as one ring or easily converted into two: one set with a 15.06 ct cushion-cut Kashmir sapphire, the other a 10 ct D-IF cushion-cut diamond. When locked together they create the Cartier Toi et Moi (You and Me) or Crossover ring. A piece that captures the sense of movement is a black jade bypass bracelet in the Apparition suite. The terminals of each bypass have a platinum, diamond, and onyx cap set with a cushion-cut Colombian emerald. These “caps” can be removed and transformed into earrings with a total emerald weight of 15.1 carats.

This final chapter, “The Magic of Reality,” focuses on the pieces inspired by nature and the world around us. Under the direction of head designer Jeanne Toussaint, Cartier began to create naturalistic depictions of flowers and three-dimensional animals. The iconic Cartier panther collection became very popular in the early 1920s. Designer Peter Lemarchand, like Toussaint, loved animals and birds, and together they designed some of the most iconic Cartier creations. In this final chapter, the focus on three-dimensional animals and flowers continues throughout the century and into the Magician collection. Elephants with raised trunks made of platinum and diamonds support an 85.25 ct oval emerald in a design for the Ganesh bracelet. On the opposite page is a design for Ganesh earrings that have pear-shaped sapphires, totaling 14.65 carats, suspended from pavé platinum elephant heads. The Jouesue ring has the famous Cartier platinum panther, paved in diamonds with black onyx spots, wrestling with a python coiled around a cabochon-cut 30.64 ct East African ruby. Another stunning piece is the Panthère Hypnotique necklace, where the panther stands upon a 52.53 ct black opal. The Crocodiles necklace, from 1975, is a bold pair of three-dimensional yellow gold crocodiles, one pavé set with yellow diamonds and the other with emeralds. One of the most whimsical pieces is the Adwaita ring, in which a turtle crawls over the top of the white gold mounting of pavé diamonds and cuddles up to a heart-shaped 29.37 ct spinel. Its shell is made of a cabochon gray-blue star sapphire.

Flowers are another inspiration in the Cartier workshops. Photos of a wide variety of floral pieces are included in this last chapter. A brooch from 2013 captures the virtuosity of the master jewelers. It is a flower set with a 46.12 ct cushion-cut pink tourmaline surrounded by pavé diamonds, and plique-à-jour enamel creating delicate petals. The Illyrie necklace combines carved morganite flowers with briolette-cut morganite drops and pear-shaped spinels to create a cascade of pastel flowers from a pink gold color of pavé diamonds. Carving of stones into three-dimensional flowers is an art form. Cartier has created many of these in brooches such as the Iridacée brooch, a purple iris carved from a piece of amethyst and set with a pear-shape yellow diamond along with accents of pavé white diamonds. The Gardenia brooches are carved in pink or blue chalcedony set in pink or white gold.

In the 1920s Cartier, influenced by the maharajahs, created what has come to be known as their Tutti-Frutti jewelry. It combines carved rubies, sapphires, and emeralds with diamonds to create an Indian look. The carved colored stones are combinations of pumpkin-cut and leaf-shape stone, some engraved with floral designs. It was quite popular in the ’20s and ’30s, and Indian motifs were revived in the 1960s. Recently this Indian-style jewelry has been brought back by Cartier. One of the most impressive pieces in this book is the Rajasthan set of necklaces that can be worn together or separately. The first necklace is a row of graduated pumpkin-cut emeralds with a pendant that contains a 136.99 ct carved emerald suspended from a pear-shaped carved ruby. This can be worn with another necklace—a bib of carved emeralds, sapphires, and rubies suspended from pavé diamond branches—to make a major statement piece. The large emerald can be transformed into a brooch, and the suite comes with earrings, ring, and bracelet to complete the set.

François Chaille’s knowledge of art, combined with his love of fine jewelry, creates a fascinating read for those who have a passion for both. He uses archival and modern jewels to weave history and art history to tell the story of the Cartier Magician Collection.

This book is sumptuously illustrated with high-resolution photos and archival preliminary sketches, as well as important art works. It is a scholarly work but easy to read, as informative as it is enjoyable. Source: GIA @topic:6


Title: Book Review: Taffin: The Jewelry of James de Givenchy Abstract: By James Taffin de Givenchy, Tobias Meyere, and Hamilton South, hardcover, 400 pp. illus., publ. by Rizzoli, New York, 2016, $150.00.

Every time I gently eased the large volume about jewelry artisan James de Givenchy’s work with Taffin from the protective sleeve case and turned the pages, I acted as though I was removing a treasured object from a safe deposit box. I read, I stopped. I read, I stopped again. I forced myself to look a bit at a time so as not to gorge on the art represented, the craftsmanship on display for fear of spoiling myself for the next time.

As the pages turn, one can appreciate de Givenchy’s love of scale, the imaginative use of metals and their finishes, the exotic woods, and the leather used to create beautiful, singular pieces. The subtle homages to Duke Fulco di Verdura, Suzanne Belperron, and Jean Schlumberger are apparent to those familiar with their artisanship.

De Givenchy the artist comes to life through the thoughts of his friends, as written in their forewords to various sections of the book. In conjunction with the beautifully detailed photographs, one can understand why de Givenchy chose certain materials for specific pieces, and the reader takes joy in looking at the gems and the craftsmanship. A heart-shaped carved Colombian emerald, flush-mounted in a chartreuse green square ceramic base and adorned with pearls, pays homage to spring with the differing tones of green and the juxtaposition of organic elements. The inclusion of de Givenchy’s sketches of proposed pieces, along with the photo of his New York salon, elegantly bookend the jewelry depicted.

James de Givenchy delights in upending our conventional expectations. He uses unique woods and relatively common materials such as agate and leather through uncommon shapes and purpose. A broad violet wood bracelet, with its powerfully ridged grain juxtaposed with polished white chalcedony domed button shapes, makes the viewer pause in order to interact with the piece. Two pins executed in cloud-shaped faience and decorated with sweeps of diamonds results in a charming, light appearance. Some of the most intriguing works shown are those that have the gems set culet up. This causes the eye to stop and it disrupts the brain, leading to a greater appreciation of the cleverness of the method. Gemstones set in this manner cause us to approach a red spinel and ruby domed ring with a modicum of caution due to perceived prickliness. Such pieces create a visual and textural treat.

Taffin is a treasure, pure and simple. Source: GIA @topic:6


Title: A ‘Game-Changing’ Quality Assurance System for Jewelry Workmanship Abstract: JMA Instructor Michael Turinetti inspects the roundness and size of a student-made ring as part of his Quality Assurance Benchmarks (QAB) evaluation for finished and semi-finished jewelry. The system, which aims to improve workmanship and minimize jewelry failure, debuted in GIA classrooms before the Institute began publishing the QABs for platinum jewelry online in 2016. Photo by Kevin Schumacher/GIA

A woman walks out of a big-city, high-end jewelry store. She and her husband have just made a remarkable purchase: a platinum ring featuring a 22-carat (ct), GIA-graded diamond center stone.
She proceeds across town, often admiring the sparkle on her finger, as she continues with her day.
A few hours later, she claps along with fellow patrons at a charity auction and her gaze falls again to the ring. She is shocked to see that the beautiful diamond is gone.
“One minor blow pushed that huge diamond out,” says Mark Mann, GIA’s senior director of global Jewelry Manufacturing Arts (JMA).
Mann served as an expert witness when this scenario – unfortunately, a real case – unfolded and went to court more than three decades ago. He says the ring made it to the sales floor despite “serious errors in design, engineering and workmanship” that left it primed for failure.
Cases of jewelry failure – lost stones, broken prongs, inconsistent sizing and distorted shapes – have been “an ongoing issue for the trade,” Mann says. The cringe-inducing “real-life consequences” include inconsistent quality, lost sales and damaged reputations, and can affect everyone from the largest jewelry manufacturers to the smallest brick-and-mortar retail shop.
Mann stresses that, for consumers, it doesn’t matter whether the missing stone is 22 carats or .02 carat – the emotional and mental effects are devastating.
“It’s disappointing at any price point,” he says. “And though jewelry failure is sometimes out of our hands, it’s often preventable.”

The Quality Assurance Benchmarks used in our JMA programs have proven to be powerful electronic, written and visual criterion that our QA team uses to provide students with real-time, appropriate industry feedback. It helps hone their knowledge on how to design, engineer and make quality jewelry.
Elizabeth Brehmer, GIA director of operations for Jewelry Manufacturing Arts

Mann points to a couple of overriding factors that perpetuate the problem of jewelry failure.
“Consumers are trusting and have some preconceived notions about quality assurance,” he says. “When we go out and buy an automobile, the industry is so highly regulated that things are assumed. But even within a highly regulated industry, where quality absolutely has to be ensured, there are problems. There is no overarching, governing body that guides our industry as there is with other trades like automobile or equipment manufacturing, so of course issues come up.”
In addition to the lack of regulation, jewelers, manufacturers and retailers are rarely able to communicate clearly and consistently about workmanship.
“Quality assurance is not a new concept, but it’s carried out in a variety of company-specific methods, and terminology is different with every organization,” he says. “There is no common ‘language’ that ensures we can talk to each other and figure out how to rectify these problems or prevent them from happening in the first place.”
Identifying a Need
In the early 1950s, industry demand for more thorough diamond evaluation and education brought attention to the lack of a common “diamond language,” as GIA biographer William George Shuster describes in his 2003 book, “Legacy of Leadership: A History of the Gemological Institute of America.”
“At that time … diamond grading was chaotic and inconsistent because there were so many systems in use – and misuse,” Shuster says. “This left industry dialogue about a diamond’s features, and therefore its relative value, open to interpretation.”
The need for “terms and concepts acceptable and understandable to all” led GIA to develop the 4Cs of diamond quality and, eventually, the International Diamond Grading System™.
Today’s need for objective, consistent evaluation of jewelry workmanship and for a clear system of communication likewise catalyzed a GIA team, led by Mann and members of the JMA team, to create one.
Their systemized method of quality assurance for jewelry workmanship is called GIA Quality Assurance Benchmarks™, or GIA QABs™. In short, QABs are independently stated points of quality that Mann says are taken together to “provide an objective method for evaluating the quality of semi- or fully finished jewelry by comparing it against acknowledged criteria.”
While there are inherent differences in the way one grades a gemstone created by nature and the way one analyzes the “manmade” workmanship in a finished article of jewelry, Mann says, the concept of holding an item against objective criteria is the same.
And, just as GIA’s diamond grading system was “intended as a teaching mechanism, not a commercial system,” according to Shuster, GIA QAB concepts were taught in GIA classrooms well before their public release.

Elizabeth Brehmer, GIA’s director of operations for Jewelry Manufacturing Arts, has called the QAB evaluation system a “powerful” and “game-changing” system that makes it possible for her team to provide “consistent, objective feedback” to students and instructors. Brehmer, standing, is pictured with Quality Assurance team members Brendan Donovan and Joanna Joy Seetoo as they review Jewelry Design & Technology student submissions. “The key is valuing, and knowing, how to make quality jewelry that will last,” she says. Photo by Kevin Schumacher/GIA
Developed for the Classroom, Refined at the Bench
Mann, whose 45 year career includes working within jewelry manufacturing, design and engineering in addition to GIA, knew when he was appointed to his current position that he and his team would want to rethink and improve the analysis of student workmanship.
“There was little or no information, visual or written, about defects in workmanship,” he says. “Instructors were doing their best to communicate certain details verbally, but they had no visual aids to support what they were trying to communicate.”
The JMA instructional and research and development teams, considering feedback from industry members, set about revising the review system for the daily work and bench tests of Graduate Jeweler (GJ) and Jewelry Design & Technology (JDT) students. They developed the QAB evaluation process and instituted it in 2013 for GJ students and in 2014 for JDT students.
“The Quality Assurance Benchmarks used in our JMA programs have proven to be powerful electronic, written and visual criterion that our QA team uses to provide students with real-time, appropriate industry feedback,” says Elizabeth Brehmer, GIA’s director of operations for Jewelry Manufacturing Arts. “It helps hone their knowledge on how to design, engineer and make quality jewelry.”
Students follow along with illustrated QAB analysis forms, which are broken into tasks and subtasks in each category, as they create and review their own jewelry pieces. Their work then moves on to the QA team, which reviews the piece of jewelry and checks a simple “Achieved” or “Not Achieved” box for each point of quality.
“It has been game-changing,” Brehmer says. “The methodology has made it possible for us to provide consistent, objective feedback to our students in an organized and structured manner. Our team can efficiently apply the criteria to multiple projects, in both the Jewelry Design & Technology and Graduate Jeweler programs, and instructors can coach students using these criteria to continually improve their understanding and application. Both students and instructors can immediately see areas that need improvement – and act on it.”
Mann agrees that instituting the QABs has worked “extremely well,” and alumni say it improved their classroom work.
“As a student, it was a way of keeping a focus on quality,” says Kenny Ray, director of gemstones for Fairfield, Ohio’s Quality Gold, Inc. and a graduate of GIA’s GJ and Graduate Gemologist programs. “It’s basically a checklist – follow it step by step, and when you’re finished with your project you can be pretty confident that your finished piece is complete.”
For Niki Grandics, an award-winning designer and bench jeweler from Southern California, utilizing GIA’s QAB system helped her plan her work.
“It encouraged me to be more proactive in problem-solving, because I already had those key criteria for that piece in mind as I was working on it,” she says.
And Amanda Chodosh, a GJ and JDT graduate who works as an apprentice jeweler for Shane Company in Colorado, felt relief – QABs meant there was no room for interpretation.
“After being an art major in my undergrad program, where everything was subjective and hyper-criticized, GIA’s QAB system was nice to adapt to because there was no guessing involved and everyone was assessed by the same standards,” she says. “I knew exactly what was expected of me. There were no hidden secrets or reading between the lines – it was very cut and dry, and you couldn’t cut corners. It’s either, ‘it achieved this,’ or ‘it did not achieve this.’”
In addition to improved efficiency, objectivity and thoroughness for students, classroom administrators found the QAB analysis sheets – permanent records of student work – to be helpful tools for data collection and tracking.
“I can look at forms and bring up student histories and formulate an opinion based on that data,” says Mann. “We can also use it on a bench test. If I look at data from the student sheets and discover that everyone is making the same mistakes or there are tool marks left all over the pieces, I can say, ‘It’s too late in the program for this stuff, what’s the discrepancy?’”
That makes it possible for administrators and instructors to see where improvements can be made – whether instruction should be adjusted, or whether there are areas of curriculum or hands-on training that need more work.

GIA alumni have found that the QAB system used to analyze their student work by Quality Assurance team members like Kevin Diep (pictured) is more relevant than ever in their professional lives. “I think it’s a healthy way to eliminate subjective opinions and creates structure and consistency throughout a company, brand or product,” says Amanda Chodosh, a GIA GJ and JDT grad who works as an apprentice jeweler for Shane Company in Colorado. Photo by Kevin Schumacher/GIA
Real-Life Quality Analysis That’s Thorough, Efficient, Repeatable
Graduates have found GIA QABs indispensable for professional work.
Grandics, who is the owner, designer and bench jeweler of ENJI Studio Jewelry, is building an ethically focused brand using the QAB system she learned as a GJ student.
“For me, it means fewer surprises and fewer instances of taking things back for reworking or cleaning before a piece of jewelry goes out the door,” she says. “The working mindset that comes with these objective criteria helps me work more efficiently, but I see even more use for this as my business grows. When we expand our manufacturing in the future and hire more jewelers, using this system can help ensure a consistent quality standard, and that everyone is on the same page.”
“It can also help track performance and training. If some things are consistently an issue,” she adds, “you can respond to it much faster if you know about it before pieces go to the customer – rather than when they’re getting returned. It even makes training new hires easier when they know ahead of time what your standards are.”
Chodosh finds that the bench work she performs – stone setting and polishing, resizing rings, making repairs – on behalf of a national retailer is enhanced by her experience with systemized quality analysis.
“My position is not about my personal opinion; my job is to critically analyze a piece of jewelry for the company’s expectations and standards,” she says. “GIA’s QAB system is a practical, technical way to review a piece of jewelry so that it meets company requirements. I think it’s a healthy way to eliminate subjective opinions and creates structure and consistency throughout a company, brand or product.”
Ray says that employing the QABs helps him stay focused when the technicalities of quality assurance run up against the realities of busy, fragmented days.
“I’m able to follow the same routine any time I’m performing quality assurance, or training someone in it,” he says. “Days can become hectic, and the QABs can get me back on track after I’ve been sidetracked. I can pick up where I left off and be confident that nothing was left undone.”

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Going ‘Beyond the Classroom’
Mann says that as the QABs were developed, the GIA team quickly recognized the ways the system could “go beyond the classroom” and benefit the industry.
“The same thing that the QABs bring to a classroom would help with quality assurance in a factory,” he explains. “Take the largest factory in Hong Kong, for example – the QAB data would allow you to track an individual’s workmanship. If you’re seeing the same department making the same error, you have it there in black and white. You can take preemptive measures to improve the supervisory situation, or hire someone to come in and train the skill where the problem lies.”
As the team began to understand the potential industry-wide benefits of the QABs, they decided to create a home for them on GIA’s website, where they would be accessible to the public. They began publishing the QABs periodically in 2016, and while they are currently available exclusively for platinum jewelry, QABs for other metals are planned for the future.
The QABs are presented online as interactive learning modules organized into one of four categories: Ring Sizing; Finishing and Polishing; Assembling and Setting; and Tools and Metal Identification. Each category features details on several topics, such as setting a princess-cut center stone in a platinum mounting, refinishing techniques for worn platinum jewelry and identifying/characterizing platinum alloys.
Each module includes benchmarks for specific situations, descriptions of possible problem areas or engineering features, and detailed artist renderings and photos of real jewelry. Many feature brief videos with demonstrations of manufacturing techniques, and red and blue beacons enable users to move through each module and track their progress.
In the year since GIA began publishing the QAB modules online, the pages have drawn nearly 30,000 views. For Bev Hori, GIA’s senior vice president of education and chief learning officer, those numbers signal high interest among trade members to embrace methods that can improve jewelry manufacturing and workmanship, and the industry as a whole.
“We felt that it was important to share what was working so well in GIA classrooms,” Hori says. “GIA’s Quality Assurance Benchmarks have been an effective tool for our students and instructors, and providing them as a resource is a way to share that knowledge and experience with the trade. It is also a meaningful way we can help fulfill the Institute’s mission of ensuring the public trust in gems and jewelry.”
Brehmer believes that the impact of systemizing quality assurance will be far-reaching.
“Everyone benefits from a well-made piece of jewelry: the manufacturer, the retailer, the jeweler and the consumer,” she says. “It takes no more time to make a well-engineered jewelry item than it does a poorly engineered one. The key is valuing – and knowing – how to make quality jewelry that will last.” Source: GIA @topic:9


Title: Books: Untamed Encounters:  Contemporary Jewelry from Extraordinary Gemstones Abstract: By Mimi Lipton, 245 pp., hardcover, illus., publ. by Thames & Hudson, New York, 2014. US$95.00.

Untamed Encounters: Contemporary Jewelry from Extraordinary Gemstones is a print gallery of 80 jewels commissioned by collector and author Mimi Lipton, whose interests run not to faceted and finished stones but to unfinished raw materials: mineral crystals, fragments of opal broken from the vein, gems inextricably bound to the matrix in which they have formed, coral worn by the ocean, unusual Baltic amber, and strangely shaped freshwater pearls. In her world travels, Lipton has also discovered carved pieces of amber, bone, ivory, and jade, as well as coral nuggets from old jewelry.

Crystals take millennia to form and rise to the earth’s surface, the accident of their survival a small miracle; corals are burnished by sea and sand into stark, skeletal shapes. Each unique “untamed” piece shows us the beauty and power often inherent in the unfinished and the worn. They are reminiscent of ancient talismanic jewelry in which raw materials of surpassing beauty or strange shape were thought to hold magical powers. Or perhaps they were simply beautiful to look at and to hold.

Suiting the international provenance of these raw materials, Lipton has gathered an international group of seven jewelry artists to create large, bold, unusual works that emphasize the uniqueness of each material. The pieces are often inspired by ethnic jewelry Lipton has encountered in her travels. While most are in 22K gold, some include iron, silver, driftwood, and silk cord. Many of the rough-hewn pieces echo the unfinished quality of the materials set into them. Others contrast the rugged quality of the materials with smoothly finished metal.

Illustrated with 260 large-format color photographs, many of them extreme close-ups, the book allows readers to visually examine these works in detail, from mineral and stone shapes and surfaces to material textures, craftsmanship, and connections. So that nothing interrupts the visual feast, a section at the end provides material and artist information next to thumbnails of each piece. Another section provides biographies of the artists, the photographer, and other contributors.

If anything is missing, it is the stories behind the pieces: where and how Lipton discovered each one, what they mean to her, the story behind each creation—her vision and the artists’ visions and how those met and evolved into finished jewelry. Collaboration is an art in itself, and it would have been enlightening to see how the artists and the collector communicated to create these unique pieces.

Regardless, Untamed Encounters  is certain to be a treat for anyone who appreciates or collects jewelry. It inspires us to take a second look at the world and to question our definitions of beauty and preciousness. Source: GIA @topic:6


Title: Book Review: Cartier Dazzling: High Jewelry and Precious Objects Abstract: By François Chaille, hardcover, 272 pp., publ. by Flammarion, Paris, 2016, $125.00.

	Another in a near-annual series of beautiful hardbound volumes featuring new collections in the Cartier oeuvre, Cartier Dazzling: High Jewelry and Precious Objects highlights the famed jewelry atelier and its glamorous clients. Cartier has been the architect of renowned jewelry, many incorporating world-famous gemstones. The blue Hope, the Star of South Africa, the Pasha, the Star of the East, and various De Beers diamonds have all been featured in pieces by Cartier’s master jewelers, and figure into the jewelry house’s rich history.

	Cartier’s relocation from the Boulevard des Italiens to the Rue de la Paix in Paris in 1899 proved a strategic move for the young jewelry store. This luxury shopping area was home to established jewelry houses such as Mellerio and Aucoc, as well as nearby sales opportunities with Worth and Paquin couturiers, Guerlain perfumes, Viault-Este shoes, and Charvet shirts at the Place Vendôme. These shops were conveniently near many of Paris’s great hotels catering to wealthy travelers: the Hotel Bristol (dubbed the “Hotel of Kings”), the Ritz, the Hotel des Iles Britanniques, and the Westminster. Sharing important clients due to the close proximity of their stores, Louis Cartier and Jean-Philippe Worth, who were acquainted before the former’s move to Rue de la Paix, eventually became the best of friends.  This link further strengthened by Louis’s marriage to Jean-Philippe’s daughter, Andrée-Caroline at the turn of the century. In 1910, Louis’s younger sister, Suzanne, married Jacques Worth, another member of the powerful family.

	Cartier began to fashion jewelry employing platinum, a metal rarely used, at the end of the 19th century. Platinum helped to create light and airy pieces that would enhance the dresses designed by Worth. This new style of jewelry, known as the “garland” style, epitomized the Belle Époque era of jewelry design.

	An introduction to the maharajah of Kapurthala in 1911 provided Louis Cartier’s brother Jacques access to the high society of the Indian subcontinent. Indian princes brought personal gems to Cartier to be reworked into modern designs using platinum. As a result the renowned Indian penchant for opulence was reflected in the form of carved rubies, sapphires, and emeralds set into Cartier’s signature “Tutti Frutti” (or “fruit salad”) jewelry during the first third of the 20th century.

	Cartier jewelry featured heavily at the “Ball of the Century,” held on September 3, 1951 in Venice. Many of the 1,500 attendees and preeminent members of café society were devoted Cartier followers, such as Singer sewing machine heiress and socialite Daisy Fellowes. She attended wearing her famous 1936 “Hindu” necklace by Cartier, an intricate creation of faceted and carved sapphires, rubies, and emeralds. This iconic necklace eventually found its way into the Cartier Collection, a group of 1,500 exceptional pieces of jewelry from 1860 to the present, including a necklace once owned by Woolworth heiress Barbara Hutton: a strand of 27 jadeite beads of exceptional quality and size, with a clasp of baguette diamonds and calibrated rubies.

	The Étourdissant collection, introduced at the end of 2015, makes use of carved morganite, chalcedony, and jasper to define and accentuate form and color in the guise of flowers and panthers. A discussion of chasing and repoussé highlights the amount of workmanship and masterful technical skill involved in creating a swallow-themed diamond pendant necklace. The collection also features the “threading” of diamonds—the stringing of drilled diamond briolettes on a strong wire, presumably platinum—for use in various designs. A number of exceptional gems grace this collection, including the Bleu Azur diamond, the pink Aube diamond, the Burmese Andaman sapphire, and the Colombian Amazonie emerald. But the apex of this year’s collection is the Romanov sapphire, of Sri Lankan origin and weighing a whopping 197.80 ct.

	Cartier first purchased the Romanov sapphire between 1925 and 1928, during the sale of the Russian imperial jewels by Russia’s newly formed Communist government. The imperial jewels had been seized from the Russian royal family when they were dethroned. The sapphire’s Imperial provenance was confirmed by an illustration plate and description of the stone in the French version of the extremely rare inventory catalog, Les Joyaux du Tresor de Russie (Russia’s Treasure of Diamonds and Precious Stones). The stone was pictured in the French version but omitted from the English version that accompanied the jewels at their original sale. When the catalog, consulted again during the 2014 sale of the sapphire back to Cartier, suggested the gem had belonged to Maria Feodorovna (mother of Nicholas II, the last Romanov emperor of Russia). A brief but thorough description of her life follows to enlighten the audience about the stone’s background. After the stone was acquired by Cartier in the 1920s, it was purchased by Polish opera singer Ganna Walska, who had the sapphire mounted in a necklace several different ways during her ownership. It was eventually auctioned off with most of her vast jewel collection in 1970 to help improve the gardens at her Montecito, California estate. Upon reacquiring the Romanov sapphire in 2014, Cartier set it into a bracelet enhanced with diamonds.

	Readers who are under the impression that Cartier made Mystery clocks only in the 1920s, will be pleased to know that the Étourdissant collection features two: the Pharos Mystery clock and the Target Mystery clock, as well a “Celian” magnetic clock driven by an ingenious arrangement of magnets. A very fine hinged bangle watch bracelet of pink tourmaline, diamonds, and pink gold is also depicted.

	True to form, color is employed masterfully in Cartier’s Étourdissant jewels, the intense red fire of ruby or the green vortex of an emerald playing off the neutrality of white diamonds or black onyx. The current collection features newly interpreted designs of Cartier’s ever popular and appealing “Tutti Frutti” jewels, first created in the 1920s and now updated for a modern take. Perhaps the most stunning jewels from the collection are those depicting wild animals, especially the Cartier panther. Symbolic of Cartier as early as 1914, the panther is today incorporated as an animal of intrigue.

Cartier Dazzling will be useful for jewelry historians, designers, and those with a love of iconic brands and superb workmanship of great ingenuity. Source: GIA @topic:6