Design Duality

April 1, 2015
By Phyllis Schiller

William Ruser Mid-Century diamond, 18-karat gold and platinum flower ring, circa 1960. Photo courtesy Beladora.

Although American jeweler William Ruser made a name for himself in the 1950s and 1960s with playful brooches featuring Mississippi freshwater pearls, he also designed elegant jewelry with significant stones and luxurious styling. It’s very much a “tale of two designers,” says Benjamin Macklowe, president of the Macklowe Gallery in New York City. “Beyond Ruser’s little angels, there were things he made only once, which sets him apart from most manufacturing jewelers. That jewelry is characterized by really fine material and innovative construction. For example, we have one of his bracelets that is actually 18-karat gold welded onto platinum. It’s not something I’ve seen anyone else do and that type of innovation is what made him interesting.” Ruser had several very distinct styles, says Russell Fogarty, Kazanjian & Fogarty, Beverly Hills, California. “The most familiar pieces are his American freshwater pearl creations in which he used themes such as cherubs, poodles, angels, golfers, flowers, the ‘Monday’s Child’ nursery rhyme and more. Most of his freshwater pearl pieces are fanciful and charming, whereas his flower creations with pearls are elegant and often intricately constructed in platinum.” Location, Location, Location Ruser got his start working for Trabert & Hoeffer- Mauboussin’s Atlantic City branch and later as manager of the company’s Los Angeles branch. “He came up in the crucible of the company creating fine design during the Depression,” continues Macklowe. “And once the country started to become wealthy, Ruser caught the wave of a very buoyant market,” establishing his own boutique on Rodeo Drive in 1947. Ruser operated his shop on Rodeo Drive until his retirement in 1969, at which time the neighborhood was just beginning to gain international attention, according to Fogarty. “During Ruser’s time on the street, Rodeo Drive was primarily a local shopping area. Fred Hayman opened Giorgio’s on the street in 1967, Gucci, in 1968. Van Cleef & Arpels took over Ruser’s location in 1969 and actually shared that Rodeo Drive space with Ruser for some period of time. Occasionally, we purchase pieces that are signed by both VCA and Ruser. Van Cleef & Arpels continues in the same space today.” Ruser died in 1994 at the age of 86. Ruser, says Clive Kandel, fine jewelry curator for 1stdibs.com, an online antique marketplace, was “a very Beverly Hills, Hollywood-centric jeweler. This was before the internet; if you were in Beverly Hills, there were just a few jewelers on Rodeo Drive you went to. And he was one of them. His whimsical jewelry — the child brooches and winged fairies that he’s recognizable for — was a very affluent California style. That would have been a very catchy thing out there at the time. And then you get the more formal jewelry, traditional 1950s, 1960s diamond, pearl and gold jewelry.” Being based in Los Angeles, it’s not surprising that Ruser developed a Hollywood following that included some of the most well-known names of Tinseltown. His was a “go-to shop for special occasions,” says Fogarty, for celebrities such as Loretta Young, Ava Gardner, Barbara Stanwyck, Joan Crawford and Elizabeth Taylor. “There were also many Hollywood executives and important local families who patronized his shop.” Along with jewelry, Ruser made vanity sets, pocket mirrors and lipstick holders and other little necessities adorned with his iconic figures, notes Jeff Cohen, N. Green and Sons, Chicago, Illinois. Design Details The use of freshwater pearls in jewelry was something that had not been prevalent in jewelry design. Ruser, explains Macklowe, had made an “opportunistic purchase of bags of these pearls and he figured out something fun and whimsical to do with them that fit with his aesthetic decisions.” He had the vision to look at the pearls and see what to make of them, notes Cohen. “Angels, cherubs would be standing on the pearls, which represent clouds. And he incorporated the pearls into other pieces.” The vast majority of Ruser jewelry is crafted in 14-karat and 18-karat yellow gold, and the textural goldwork is a recurring theme, notes Macklowe. A lot of his figures, whether angels or animals, seem to have sapphire eyes, says Cohen. “He liked very fine diamonds and a lot of his pieces have rubies, little emeralds. The bodies of the angels are textured gold.” Occasionally, says Fogarty, Ruser incorporated turquoise and other gemstones. “However, many people are not aware that he also created magnificent platinum and diamond necklaces, bracelets, earrings and rings in the Mid-Century style.” “As I’ve bought Ruser over the years,” says Cohen, “I’ve begun to recognize his other styles. I’ve had a ring with a quartz stone — big and eccentric. Recently, I had a 1950s 18-karat yellow gold dome ring pavéd with diamonds in clusters. If I see something that looks very 1950s, 1960s in yellow gold with clusters of diamonds, there’s a chance that it’s his.” Market Appeal “There is an audience for Ruser’s pieces,” says Cohen. “I always have five or six in stock. His work has held its value.” Collections of estate jewelry often include Ruser, says Fogarty. “Clients who purchase fine-quality Retro and Mid-Century jewelry appreciate Ruser’s workmanship and design. Whereas most of the freshwater pearl jewelry was made in multiples, his important pieces were usually one-of-a-kind. For a single store operation that was open for about 20 years and closed almost a half century ago, there is a surprising amount of Ruser jewelry in the world.” Ruser’s prolific pearl creations might overshadow some of his more important pieces, sums up Fogarty. “Three years ago, our firm purchased an estate from a very prominent California family and one of the star pieces was an exquisite high-value diamond and platinum bracelet by Ruser. I have been in the business for more than 40 years, my partner even longer, and others in the firm for many years, and all of us thought it was the most beautiful diamond bracelet we had ever handled.”