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![glitzqueeninBBC[1]](../assets/images/glitzqueeninBBC_1_.jpg "glitzqueeninBBC[1]") GLITZQUEEN Holds Court On
Rings & Bracelets Part 11
Jewels of the 20th Century
 Edwardian Cross-Over Openwork Ring. White Gold & Diamonds. At GlitzQueen.
As the century turned, there was rivalry between the "art" movement as a whole and yet another fit of Neo-Classicism. The latter, known as Garland Style, harked back to 18th century garlands, vines, swags, scrolls, feathers, bows and wreaths, but had taken lessons in refinement from the grace and craftsmanship of the art styles. When at last Bertie  got his throne in 1901 and the Edwardian Era began, Art Nouveau and Arts & Crafts were wildly popular. Surely in part for that reason, the Masters of the Universe shopped elsewhere. They were in the mood to flaunt wealth and high spirits. England was at the top of its game.
Edwardian Garland Style Ring. European. Gold Filigree & Amethyst (Alexandra's favorite gem). At GlitzQueen.
Edwardian 1907 Bangle & Ring. English. Gold Filigree, Sapphires & Diamonds.Sold by Finan & Co.
Another factor that favored design change was electric lighting, which made Victoriana look fusty and ponderous -- not a bit elegant to Edwardian sophisticates. Ladies' clothing took a more natural line and fabrics ran to pastels and lace; furniture shrank and gained fine detail via marquetry and stringing; and, when it came to jewels, the Garland Style emerged clear winner. Jewelry of the pre-World War II Belle Epoque shimmered with subtle perfection -- and filigree and other airy openwork designs were its triumph.
Aquamarine & White Gold Filigree Ring. Circa 1915-20. Signed Belais. Sold by GlitzQueen.
 Belais Cobalt Glass & White Gold Filigree Ring. 1920s. At GlitzQueen.
The globe was then awash with newly found gems; the trick of culturing pearls had been mastered and fashion favored wearing many rings and bracelets at once, so a disproportionately great number of jewels were made during this sadly brief period -- generally dated circa 1900-20, although Edward died in 1910. As the era advanced, paler stones and metals came into vogue. Platinum was diverted to the war effort in 1914, but the New York-based Belais brothers were ready with white g old. After working with it since the late 1880s, they had a patented formula strong enough for filigree. White metals stayed the rage through the 1910-20 "transitional" period, during which Edwardian styles dominated, and then the Art Deco 1920
Belais "Dragonfly" Gold Filigree & Onyx Ring. 1920s. At GlitzQueen.
Jewelry of the Art Deco Era saw a return to strong color. The other big difference was abstraction. Like painters, many jewelers broke from realism around 1910 and early Art Deco coexisted with Edwardian style. The Fabergé bangle below, dated 1908-1917 by museum experts, looks Deco (even Modernist).
Fabergé Bangle. 1908-1917. Russian. Gold, Star Ruby & Star Sapphire.
 "Mummy Case" Ring. 1920s. By Uncas. Sterling & Chrysoprase. Sold by GlitzQueen.
More usual were filigree mountings the Edwardians would have prized, or simpler ones showing Arts & Crafts influence. Either way, they were set with fancy-cut stones in eye-popping hues or sophisticated black. It didn't matter tremendously whether they were real. New laboratory-made synthetic stones were popular, as was the fine glass coming out of Eastern Europe. This isn't to say the whisper-pale look was totally abandoned; many  beautiful Deco jewels have clear or pastel stones; however, they're fashioned in geometric, non-Edwardian ways.
Deco Rose Quartz & Sterling Ring. Sold by GlitzQueen
 There was also King Tut, a design force throughout the 1920s. Exhumed early in the decade, he was trotted 'round the world with his loot in the latter part. This gave us our third Egyptian Revival and sparked the first Victorian Revival, too. Victorian-lookng jewels that show age but have 20th century findings usually date from the Deco era (since the next revival came in the 1950s and 1960s).
 Deco Spinel & Sterling Ring. At GlitzQueen.
Deco Carved Galalith Bracelet. French.
Sold by GlitzQueen.
The extravagant ride of the 1920s came to a horrible halt in October, 1929. Suddenly people who'd felt rich were dirt-poor. Of course fashion didn't change overnight and few could buy jewels, anyway. If lucky enough to get a new outfit, you accessorized it with what you owned or turned to "costume" jewelry (named by Chanel). For the post-Crash Deco years, plastics were perfect, as were lesser metals, marcasites and glass. In Depression times, attention ceased being paid to the reverses of jewels. The later the piece was made after 1930, the more likely its back will be plain.
  Deco Faux-Opal & Topaz Bracelet. Sold by GlitzQueen.
Through the early 1930s, Deco styling dominated, but the Victorian Revival intensified and people began collecting the real thing, too. Old jewelry cost less than new (and perhaps came free on appeal to Granny). Ladies recycled watch slides into bracelets by stringing them on two chains and adding a clasp -- a fad that came back again in the 1990s.
Late Deco Chrysoprase Bracelet. At GlitzQueen.
Renewed naturalism characterizes much Jewelry of the Retro Era (1935-50), known for "streamlined" but identifiable forms like skyscrapers and for cute Disney-esque figurals. Another Retro look was movie star glamor, inspired by Hollywood's escapist films and imitated on the cheap with rhinestones.
Retro Rhinestone Bracelet. Sold by GlitzQueen.
The era's most interesting and collectible jewels, however, come from the Modernist/Constructivist movement, which raised flat Deco abstraction to a multi-dimensional level. This sculptural jewelry evolved from Arts & Crafts style and the best examples  were hand-made. "Studio silver" is a term often applied to it, although many makers also worked in other metals. Mexico became a major source of artisanal jewelry, especially during World War II.
1940s Dome Ring. Sterling & Rhinestones. At GlitzQueen.
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Early Stuart Nye Calla Bracelet.
Sold by GlitzQueen.
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Modernist Silver & Garnet Ring..At GlitzQueen.
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WWII "V for Victory" Silver Ring. At GlitzQueen.
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Modernist Gold & Pearl Ring.At GlitzQueen.
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Mexican Silver, Vermeil & Lapis Bracelet. At GlitzQueen.
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Retro Mexican Snake Bracelet.
At GlitzQueen.
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 "Carmen Miranda" Bracelet. Wood & Cord. From Miriam Haskell.
At Glitterbox.
As an unexpected plus, the war elevated the quality of mass-produced jewelry. When base metals were commandeered for combat, manufacturers were stuck with silver. Most post-Art Deco sterling and rhinestone jewels date from the WW II years. The Retro era also brought us "sweetheart" bracelets given by servicemen to their ladies, clever "tank-track" styles in hard plastic and "fruit salad" designs a la Carmen Miranda.
DiamDiamonds having shrunk along with wealth, they were visually enlarged by "illusion" settings of white gold against a yellow gold background (and/or ring shank). White metal alone was looking tedious after so long a run, and jewels of mixed metals were practical, complementing other pieces in either color. This is still a good point and, also because white metal generally looks best next to clear stones, the practice continues in many cases today.
Postwar prosperity and huge gem discoveries in South America tempted people to choose genuine stones. At the lower end of the market, they were set in silver, but people who could afford gold opted for yellow, which couldn't be confused with lesser metals. After suffering  through the Depression and war, those with the Good Stuff wanted the world to know it. Jewelry of the 1950s was about Keeping Up with the Joneses. Life revolved around filling new homes in new suburbs with new furniture and gadgets, driving new cars on new highways (and golf balls at new country clubs) and buying new clothes for every new season.
Circa 1950 Emerald & Diamond Ring. Sold by GlitzQueen.
 1950s Peridot & Sterling Ring. At GlitzQueen.
 1950s French Painted Lucite Bracelet. At GlitzQueen.
Gals who'd been riveting airplanes a few years before turned their repressed energy to shopping and, since each outfit had to match from hat to shoes, jewels were extra-colorful. Everything didn't have to be costly -- just ladylike and up-to-the-sec fashionable. Semi-precious peridots were special pets, "Aurora Borealis" rhinestones were brand-new (made iridescent by a process developed in 1955), lucite and other plastics were enjoyed as chic novelties and heart motifs were ideal for the girly mood. So were jangling charm bracelets. Both grown women and their daughters wore them until the times changed -- quite radically, apart from another Victorian Revival that continued into the 1960s.
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1950s Charm Bracelet.
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1950s Lucite Heart Bangle. At GlitzQueen.
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1950s Charm Bracelet.
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 Early 1960s Op Art Bracelet. Plastic. Sold by GlitzQueen.
 Art Nouveau-Influenced
1960s Ring. Silver & Carnelian
Sold by GlitzQueen.
Jewelry of the 1960s became a do-your-own-thing bazaar. The fading distinction between day and night jewels was finally dropped, along with hats and gloves. Formality was out of step amid go-go boots, mini-skirts, early rock music, Op Art, Pop Art and paper dresses, not to mention the Space Race and the civil rights movement. Jewels were assertively modern. Forms were usually rigid and, because disposability was the New Big Thing, plastic was king. There was a lot of black and white, but also plenty of strong color.
 Op Art Ring. Lucite. At Mora Ridge Antiques.
Later in the 1960s -- in the days of Happenings and acid rock -- rigidity gave way to motion. Swingy metal chains were worn as bracelets and necklaces, and there were even kinetic "spinning ball" and "dangle" rings.  Artisanal jewelry turned to organic forms and nugget-like or randomly placed stones. Ethnic and environmental influences grew strong and Op/Pop art was succeeded by psychedelic.
1960s Kinetic Bracelet. Copper. At The ModHaus.
Alongside contemporary styles, the influence of historical films persisted from the 1950s and fed the latest Victorian Revival. Victorians had revived every style known to God, so some jewels looked Classical, while others evoked medieval or baroque design. Jewelry with a Celtic or Art Nouveau look was a special hit among Flower Children (for whom "plastic" was a word of insult). They happily remixed and romanced the past, teaming fluttery long skirts and sleeves worthy of the Pre-Raphaelites (but often made of bedspreads from Bombay) with jewels recalling every era -- some so rustic there wasn't a dime's worth of difference from those worn by Neantherthals, but others that featured fine workmanship. Girls weren't having all the fun by any means; guys were also comfortable wearing jewelry (having made a start with 1950s ID bracelets) and grew their hair to lengths unseen since the Cavaliers fell to the Roundheads.
Especially collectible from this era are the figurative jewels with a message of peace and love. These range from inexpensive items to museum pieces like the bracelet at right by Estonian painter and decorative artist Erich Karl Hugo Adamson, known as Adamson-Eric. It was one of his last works.
By 1970, there was no doubt who was setting style: The first wave of Baby Boomers were wage-earning adults and even the youngest were old enough to influence purchases. Satisfying this enormous market became the clear mission of every manufacturer without a death-wish. Well before the Disco Decade was out, artisanal jewels and boutique clothes had morphed into "designer" goods. Fashion was no longer about one-of-a-kind originals; it was about labels. And the two divergent style paths met again -- in designer jewels featuring freeform settings, "New Age" crystals, Zodiac symbols and such.
 Early 1970s Hippie Ring. Enameled Silver.At The Now House.
Jewelry of the 1970s was, at the start, schizophrenic. The "back to nature" Birkenstock set wanted things even more tribal and metaphysically significant. Another group of young people went Mod and adopted shiny sleek jewelry, much of it unisex. This was, after all, the decade of Women's Lib -- the next cause taken up after the U.S. left Vietnam and ended conscription in 1973. ( Mod has a different  meaning in Europe, BTW, where it was a mainly English 1960s movement, unhappily associated with violence and revived in the late 1970s as Punk Mod.)
Late 1970s Mexican Hand-Crafted Bracelet. Silver, Copper & Crystal.
At GlitzQueen.
 1970s Designer Mushroom Bracelet. Mixed Metals. At The ModHaus.
 1970s Unisex Italian Bracelet. Enameled Silver.
At ModVictoria.
While hippie style evolved toward counterculture designs of more opulence, Mod's streamlined look evoked the 1920s and led to the first Art Deco Revival. Many overcame their aversion to plastic, when Bakelite staged a comeback, but "real" materials dominated -- except of course in fad jewelry. There was plenty of that. POW/MIA bangles were worn in the first half of the decade, (including a version for older people in copper, reputed to soothe "tennis elbow"). Then the U.S. Bicentennial of 1976 brought novelty bracelets and rings in red, white and blue. "Mood rings" that changed color supposedly with emotional state were wildly popular. (Related to the biofeedback trend in medicine, these were invented by Joshua Reynolds,  who also gave us the Thighmaster). The first braided "friendship" bracelets appeared at this time, too.
Indian-Influenced Kenneth Lane Bracelet, circa 1970. Sold by GlitzQueen.
Even Jewelry of the 1980s is beginning to be collectible now. About 25 years on, the earliest pieces are a third of the way to antique by American 75-year standards, so many people alive today will see it hit that mark. (Europe still holds out for 100 years, at minimum. In England, I had neighbors who wouldn't give house room to furniture newer than Georgian.) As for these more recent jewels, I believe our Dynasty Era Dazzlers will have the same appeal to future collectors as emanates now from glitzy 1950s bracelets and cocktail rings. The same extravagant consumerist mind-set produced them, and these slightly later ones tend to be more graceful, prettier on the wrist or hand.
Circa 1980 Estate Jewels. Bracelet: Emeralds & Gold. At left: Emeralds, Diamonds & Gold. At right: Blue & White Sapphires & Sterling. At GlitzQueen.
While the Revivalist trend continued in the 1980s (and beyond), bringing lots of Art Deco and Nouveau reproductions, more people than ever began buying authentic antiques -- which  led to rapidly increasing prices and fakery. Your best protection against "wrong 'uns" is knowledge.
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GlitzQueen - otherwise known as Katherine Harris and Erin, for short - has been an eager collector of historic jewels for about 20 years and in marketing, advertising and journalism for considerably longer. The GlitzQueen shops online were launched in 1996 as a self-assigned “lab project” to learn about e-Commerce and have been entirely too delightful to stop. The jewelry biz now occupies about as much of her time as her activities as a marketing consultant and a “literary” writer, who recently completed a stage play and is at work on a novel. She emphasizes her debt to her former neighbors in the trade, Joan and Derek Curtis of Newmarket in England, who generously taught her about antiques and then goaded her into entering “The Great Antiques Hunt,” on BBC, from which she emerged after loads of good fun as a winner. 
