Estate Jewelry

After the war, the massive, geometrical jewelry of the 1940s was replaced by nature-inspired designs. Precious stones returned with a vengeance as did scrollwork and curved mounts. In 1948, Cartier produced the first fully three-dimensional panther brooch, commissioned by the Duchess of Windsor.

Gold was the favorite metal for jewelry of the day; white, yellow, green, pink and red. Platinum, in combination with diamonds, still reined supreme. The frugality of the 1940s was suddenly overshadowed by the new opulence of the 1950s.

Abstraction and surrealism achieved widespread popularity. An attempt was made to combine aesthetics and functionality. Straight angular lines were abandoned in favor of rounded, aerodynamic surfaces. The United States produced the bulk of jewelry at that time, closely followed by the Italians, whose designs were original, innovative, functional and elegant. Bulgari, Cusi, Faraone and Settepasse were responsible for many outstanding creations and Valenza Po and Arezzo were centers for the mass production of jewelry, manufacturing latticework and gold mesh.

Jewelry reserved for evening-wear was characteristically platinum, palladium or white gold parures featuring precious gemstones. Jewelry for every-day-wear featured gold tubular chains, corded wire and fringes--discreetly set with precious stones. Several rows of graduated cultured pearls became the indispensable ornament of fashionable women, and natural pearls started to rise in price again after falling with the invention of the cultured pearl in the 1920s.

Estate jewelry features interesting combinations of gemstones such as ruby and turquoise, diamond and citrine and topaz and emerald. Coral and turquoise was very popular combo. Exotic tropical flora and fauna fascinated the jewelery designers of the era, inspiring designs featuring animals, insects, flowers and plants, in contrast to the earlier volutes, helixes, spirals and turban motifs. Jewels of the 1950s lacked radical innovations in form and chromatic use of stones, however, the design style is one of lightness and movement.