Art Deco (1920 to 1939)

The movement was originally referred to as "Style Moderne," and it wasn't until the 1960s when English art historian Bevis Hillier first coined the name "Art Deco." The name "Art Deco" refers to the movement's effect on the "decorative arts," meaning the more 'commercial' artistic disciplines of architecture, graphic arts, and industrial design, but the name was also used in reference to the "fine arts." As a stylistic motif, Art Deco managed to permeate every aspect daily life, from fashion, to consumer products and film. Of coarse, jewelry was no exception, and the Art Deco movement had a profound effect on jewellery design.

The Art Deco style is probable one of the easiest artistic styles to recognize, with its modern ultra clean lines, trapezoidal shapes, stepped edges, and arced corners. What might be surprising to some is how the movement was influenced by indigenous primitive motifs from the ancient Aztec and Egyptians, or from tribal African motifs (see Mali photo above, right).

Jewellery from the Art Deco Period

Jewellery from the Art Deco period took on an 'architectural' appearance, with gemstones being cut in bold geometric shapes such as the emerald cut, pentagon, trapezoid, or triangle. Another characteristic of the Art Deco movement was to combine bold, contrasting tones like black and white. Diamond and light colored gemstones were mixed with dark materials of black onyx or Bakelite, for a striking appearance. Diamonds were also Pavé set into bold patterns to form a contrasting white field.

Because the Art Deco movement was an 'industrial' movement, industrial looking white metals were commonly used in jewelry fabrication. Popular metals of the period were silver, platinum, and white gold. American jewelry designers like Harry Winston and Tiffany & Co. became known for their iconic Art Deco style. In Europe, designers like Cartier, the House of Mauboussin (photo of wristwatch above), and Van Cleef & Arpels were at the forefront of the Art Deco Jewelry movement.

Streamline Moderne

One of the offshoots to the Art Deco movement was the 'Streamline Moderne' movement in the late 1930s, with its more rounded nautical feel. Famous examples of the Streamline Moderne movement are the Pan Pacific Auditorium and Coca Cola Building (above, right), both in Los Angeles, California.