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Legacy
A Precious Partnership
The pairing of platinum and diamonds created the jewelry styles that characterized the Edwardian Era.
By Phyllis Schiller
The turn of the twentieth century through the 1930s saw dramatic changes in jewelry. The Art Nouveau and Art Deco movements shifted styles to jewels with a more sophisticated sensibility. Sandwiched between was the Edwardian Era, which takes its name from the reign of Edward VII as King of England, and covers the period between 1901 through World War I. The era’s fashions showcased a new lightness with delicate fabrics accented by intricate details that included hand embroidery, feathers and lace in a white-on-white scheme echoed in jewelry. Diamonds became the favored jewel du jour, showing up as brooches, pendants, bracelets and rings that emulated those styles. Helping jewelers achieve that more open look was a technological breakthrough that allowed the use of platinum, whose high melting point had limited its use in jewelry making. The invention of the oxyacetylene torch in 1903 changed all that. Not only was platinum a white metal, it was strong and ductile enough to be drawn out into thin wires that could create intricate settings with lace-like, honeycomb and filigree patterns. Moreover, its strength allowed less metal to be used, making the settings seem to disappear while highlighting the stones. Paired with diamonds and often accented with pearls, this created the very fashionable white-on-white look that distinguished the period. Platinum became the preferred partner for diamond jewelry of the era. In fact, says Carol Elkins, senior vice president, jewelry department, Sotheby’s, “The exclusive use of platinum marks the major difference between jewelry of the late nineteenth century and jewelry created in the first two decades of the twentieth century.”
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Although the Edwardian period is named after a British king, the era’s distinctive jewelry styles were French inspired, says Elkins. Most notably were the pieces created by Louis Cartier, who, she points out, was keen to embrace the use of platinum, helping to set the standard of design for jewelry of this period. “Cartier’s designers were encouraged to research original eighteenth-century French pattern books and to observe and sketch details of the architectural elements on the buildings that lined the streets of Paris. These elements included bowknots, tassels, garlands, laurel wreaths and lace motifs. The airy platinum settings allowed more light to reflect from the diamonds, making them more brilliant. The outward effects of Cartier’s pendants, tiaras, devant de corsages and dog collars attracted Cartier’s wealthy, more conservative clientele, who preferred and trusted classicism versus the challenging modernism of the style that came to be referred to as Art Nouveau.” While this era is known for its all-white palette, it doesn’t mean there was a complete absence of color in the designs, says Lingon, “but it was often used sparingly, such as punctuations with stones like small, vibrantly colored demantoid garnets. However, there was a preference for Kashmir sapphires, Burma rubies and Colombian emeralds.” Some jewelers, notes Elkins, “favored the soft pale blue sapphires being newly mined in Montana. Mexican fire opals, Australian black opals, along with Russian demantoid garnets can be seen in examples from this period. Lapidaries also began to experiment with new cuts of stones, including baguette, triangular and marquise shapes. The diamond briolette was also the perfect element to suspend from the center of a pendant or from a swag on a tiara.”
Given the fashion of the time, says Lingon, “necklaces and ear pendants seemed to have been more favored over other types of jewels. The beautiful garland style, along with flowers, leaves and scrolls are dominant themes. These jewels do appear at auction and can command a premium, especially if they are signed, wearable and in good condition.” “Admittedly, we see less jewelry from this period at the major auctions than we did about ten or 20 years ago,” says Elkins. “Jewels with royal or dynastic provenance always tend to command the strongest prices, but unsigned, beautifully crafted jewels are still available within a broadly accessible price range.” The bowknot, she says, “is a classic motif that persists. The long chains and tassel-like pendants may resonate more strongly today.” Retailer Annette Brandt, A. Brandt and Son Antique Jewelry, Narberth, Pennsylvania, says she stocks Edwardian jewelry when she can find pieces that are reasonably priced. Rings, she says, are what she sells the most. “A lot of times they aren’t very large diamonds so it’s affordable to resell them.” Brooches, per se, can be a hard sell, she notes, but she has had luck turning items like bar pins into pendants. “There are always people who like Edwardian jewelry,” concludes Brandt. “They may not know it as ‘Edwardian,’ they just love the understated look.”Article from the Rapaport Magazine - March 2017. To subscribe click here.
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