Jewelry Bonanza

When searching for your next piece of jewelry for your collection, try adding an art deco ring.  An Art Deco ring will add an air of sophistication and beauty to any line.

The term Art Deco itself is European.  French, to be exact.  It stands for Societe des Artistes Decorateurs, which represented a group of artists who designed elegant home furnishings in the 1920′s and 1930′s.  The term itself does not only describe furniture.  The art deco aesthetic is simply characterized by the geometric shapes with long, sweeping lines and intricate detailed ornaments.  The art deco mindset can be found in some New York architecture, Asian and Egyptian pieces and other ancient societies.

The architecture and the automotive revolutions of the period inspired the Art Deco mindset in jewelers of the day.  Jewelers in the 1920′s and 1930′s worked to capture the personality of the time with the long lines and curves of the rings, bracelets and necklaces.  Even earrings were affected by the designs.

Prominent Art Deco jewelers of the time include Louis Cartier, Gerard Sandoz and Jean Despres.

The 1920′s were also known more affectionately as the roaring 20′s due to the stock market boom and increased standard of living across the board.  Because of this, diamonds were very common and set along other inexpensive stones such as onyx.  Onyx was very inexpensive and could be cut into dazzling, faceted shapes.  The color also offset the color of the diamond nicely.

The art deco ring was typically used and designed as a showpiece.  They normally sported a plain band, which sometimes carried a square shape instead of the usual round band.  A rather large cluster of stones topped it off.  Yellow gold was often the rarer color, also in stark contrast to the periods before and after.  White gold and platinum were standard.  The common stone setting was a large rectangular, or sometimes triangular center stone surrounded by many smaller stones.

The second piece of the Art Deco movement was the idea behind the mechanics of the designs.  Art Deco styling was a protest to the excesses of Art Nouveau which carried it’s popularity from around 1895 through World War I.  While Art Deco has straight angles, and harsh geometric angles, Art Nouveau had more free-flowing natural motifs and swirling lines.

Art Deco today remains a highly coveted and respected style of jewelry, as well as all else it is responsible for inspiring.  Obviously, jewelry, and Art Deco rings more specifically, of the original period would carry a great deal more value but modern pieces that truly capture the Art Deco form and style are worth their weight in gold, so to speak.

You must also take into consideration the general rules of common sense while searching for an Art Deco ring, the same as you would any other piece of jewelry, vintage or otherwise.  Take the time to research wisely.  Stones are just as easily and likely to be faked on an Art Deco piece as any other.  This means you have to be fluent on many different stones and metals and alloys, depending on what you are searching for.  If you are just starting your search for an Art Deco ring, it may be a more prudent use of your time to find an Art Deco ring that catches your attention and then become an expert on that piece, if it can manage to remain on the market as you do your research.  The alternative is to learn about a great many stones and features that will differentiate the Art Deco ring from the original period and every subsequent period, and then become an expert on how to determine what is real and what is an elegant copy.

As with anything else in life, chance favors the prepared mind, this is no different while shopping for a new house, car, or Art Deco ring.  If you are willing to put forth the effort to ensure your Art Deco ring is an original piece of history then your chances of making that so will grow exponentially.  On the other hand, if you are simply an enthusiast looking for a modern remake of the beautiful style, that is entirely possible as well.  Original work or modern remake, you are sure to enjoy your Art Deco ring for years and years to come.

The architecture and the automotive revolutions of the period inspired the Art Deco mindset in jewelers of the day.  Jewelers in the 1920′s and 1930′s worked to capture the personality of the time with the long lines and curves of the rings, bracelets and necklaces.  Even earrings were affected by the designs.
Prominent Art Deco jewelers of the time include Louis Cartier, Gerard Sandoz and Jean Despres.
The 1920′s were also known more affectionately as the roaring 20′s due to the stock market boom and increased standard of living across the board.  Because of this, diamonds were very common and set along other inexpensive stones such as onyx.  Onyx was very inexpensive and could be cut into dazzling, faceted shapes.  The color also offset the color of the diamond nicely.
The art deco ring was typically used and designed as a showpiece.  They normally sported a plain band, which sometimes carried a square shape instead of the usual round band.  A rather large cluster of stones topped it off.  Yellow gold was often the rarer color, also in stark contrast to the periods before and after.  White gold and platinum were standard.  The common stone setting was a large rectangular, or sometimes triangular center stone surrounded by many smaller stones.
The second piece of the Art Deco movement was the idea behind the mechanics of the designs.  Art Deco styling was a protest to the excesses of Art Nouveau which carried it’s popularity from around 1895 through World War I.  While Art Deco has straight angles, and harsh geometric angles, Art Nouveau had more free-flowing natural motifs and swirling lines.
Art Deco today remains a highly coveted and respected style of jewelry, as well as all else it is responsible for inspiring.  Obviously, jewelry, and Art Deco rings more specifically, of the original period would carry a great deal more value but modern pieces that truly capture the Art Deco form and style are worth their weight in gold, so to speak.
You must also take into consideration the general rules of common sense while searching for an Art Deco ring, the same as you would any other piece of jewelry, vintage or otherwise.  Take the time to research wisely.  Stones are just as easily and likely to be faked on an Art Deco piece as any other.  This means you have to be fluent on many different stones and metals and alloys, depending on what you are searching for.  If you are just starting your search for an Art Deco ring, it may be a more prudent use of your time to find an Art Deco ring that catches your attention and then become an expert on that piece, if it can manage to remain on the market as you do your research.  The alternative is to learn about a great many stones and features that will differentiate the Art Deco ring from the original period and every subsequent period, and then become an expert on how to determine what is real and what is an elegant copy.
As with anything else in life, chance favors the prepared mind, this is no different while shopping for a new house, car, or Art Deco ring.  If you are willing to put forth the effort to ensure your Art Deco ring is an original piece of history then your chances of making that so will grow exponentially.  On the other hand, if you are simply an enthusiast looking for a modern remake of the beautiful style, that is entirely possible as well.  Original work or modern remake, you are sure to enjoy your Art Deco ring for years and years to come.