In the constant ebb and flow of fashion, Art Deco is the only design style that has remained popular for 100 years and shows no sign of abating. The International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts, which took place in Paris between April and October 1925, launched a revolutionary aesthetic. Organized by the French government and “open to all manufacturers whose products are artistic in character and show clearly modern tendencies,” the event hosted some 15,000 exhibitors, including Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Boucheron, and Jean Fouquet.
The legacy of this feast of modernity, which showcased groundbreaking architecture, artworks and decorative objects, is unparalleled. The design movement’s timeless nature makes it enduringly appealing, says jewelry historian Vanessa Cron. “Much of this timelessness stems from Art Deco’s mix of abstraction and stylization. Its motifs, shapes, geometry, pure design, and avant-garde spirit feel strikingly relevant in today’s world, embodying an elegance that transcends time.”
A bold beginning
The exhibition, which had been scheduled for 1915 but had to wait another 10 years due to World War I, signaled a completely new design mind-set. “It marked the end of the 19th century and turned its back on nostalgia,” says author and jewelry historian Vivienne Becker. “Throughout the 19th century, jewelry and the decorative arts had looked to the past, with many revivals. At the 1925 expo, jewelry and the decorative arts showed that they could and should capture and reflect the moment in time.”
The “modern style,” as the public called it before the term “Art Deco” was coined in the 1960s, was characterized by an “explosion of color,” in clear contrast with the subdued pastels of the Belle Epoque, Becker notes. The use of coral, lapis lazuli, turquoise, jade and onyx in bold combinations reflected the enthusiasm for Orientalism and the vibrant colors of the Ballets Russes, a disruptive dance company touring Europe since 1909.
The movement had different periods, Becker continues. It started with a slightly figurative stage that evolved into a resolutely modernist style influenced by the technology of the age — fast cars, planes, and assembly lines. The Egyptian-inspired jewels that followed the 1922 discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb were iconic as well.
However, Cron says there’s no single piece that fully captures the spirit of the period; “it’s more of a ‘vibe,’ as we might say now. It’s the long sautoirs paired with straight-line ‘I’ silhouette dresses, the stacking of diamond bracelets, the use of clear and frosted rock crystal, the onyx and black-enamel outlines, the bold two-tone color schemes, the popularity of the double-clip brooch, the carved gemstones in the tutti frutti style, the machine-age-inspired creations by Union of Modern Artists (UAM) jewelers.”
Under the hammer
All these items are usually the highest-selling lots at auction and a popular request among estate dealers’ clients. Professionals concur that Art Deco is the top era for collectors, with two maisons — Cartier and Van Cleef — at the pinnacle of desirability. In recent years, head-turning results at Sotheby’s have included a Cartier tutti frutti bracelet from the 1930s that sold for over $1.3 million in 2020, and a 1929 diamond-tie necklace that bore a VCA signature and tripled its estimate at $3.6 million last year.
Art Deco pieces buck the trend that diamond-heavy jewelry performs best at auction. A Cartier necklace with over 169 carats of aquamarines from circa 1940 sold for $604,000 at Bonhams in 2019, three times its presale estimate. Discerning buyers also favor pieces by Fouquet, whose 1925 necklace featuring an 85-carat aquamarine sold for $1.2 million at Christie’s Paris in 2021. But for all the headline-making pieces, Art Deco jewelry is available at a wide range of prices — from as little as $3,000 for unsigned pieces to $100,000 for those with exceptional stones. What draws collectors to the style is its craftsmanship and emphasis on design.
“It’s the most consistently sought-after period because a lot of people respond to the Art Deco period as the golden age of jewelry making,” explains Guy Burton, managing director at jeweler Hancocks in London, commenting on the innovative techniques that creators developed in the 1920s and ’30s, such as Van Cleef’s mystery setting.
Style chameleons
The modern allure of Art Deco jewels means they blend harmoniously with other styles. “The sleek, streamlined geometry still feels fresh and modern a century later, and the styles tend to play well with other jewelry eras,” remarks Nicole Corsini, marketing manager at Lang Antique and Estate Jewelry in San Francisco.
Requests for Deco line bracelets are high, she reports, as they stand out on their own and stack nicely with other pieces, while couples often opt for an Art Deco diamond engagement ring because of its “amazing hand-fabrication and engraving.”
There’s another jewelry trend making the era a hit among collectors: “Lately we’re seeing a lot of men interested in Art Deco brooches for evening or special events, because they bring such sparkle and personality to the lapel of a suit or tuxedo,” Corsini says.
Variety is also part of the period’s appeal. “The Art Deco design has infiltrated all tiers of the jewelry world, from charms and engagement rings to parures and encrusted handbags,” observes specialist Kerri Orlando of Philadelphia-based dealer Wilson’s Estate Jewelry.
Far-reaching impact
Art Deco pieces are plentiful on the market due to the rise in jewelry production from the 1920s to World War II. However, this doesn’t always equal high-quality finds.
“We see more Art Deco jewelry than many other eras of design, but finding truly distinguishable, well-designed pieces can be challenging — even more so for signed pieces,” comments Orlando.
As the 100th anniversary of the historic exhibition approaches, retailers should remind buyers that Art Deco designs have stood the test of time, advises Corsini. A key message is that “many of today’s jewelry trends — long, layered necklaces, stacks of bracelets — were originally popularized in the Art Deco era.”
Cron, for her part, “would love to see the industry celebrate this era without merely reviving it. The Art Deco style is established. It deserves to be celebrated in ways that inspire fresh, groundbreaking designs rather than copying past forms.”
She does wish she could have experienced the original exhibition itself, though. If augmented reality could produce “an immersive experience that allows us to ‘visit’ it…I’d absolutely say yes!” she declares. The 1925 pioneers, with their appreciation for the latest technology, would undoubtedly have approved.
Main image: An Art Deco aquamarine and diamond necklace by Cartier, which sold at Bonhams in 2019 for just over GBP 459,000 (about $577,000). (Bonhams)
