Throughout this piece, photographer Joanna McClure captures a mix of contemporary and vintage jewelry from the world’s most famous maisons—showcasing art deco’s range and enduring appeal. Seen here, from top: Lugano black ceramic and emerald-cut diamond earrings; Chanel High Jewelry Charleston fringe necklace with diamonds and onyx. Prices on request
Photographer: Joanna McClure for Bloomberg Businessweek; Prop stylist: Sonia RentschWhy Art Deco Jewelry Still Commands Millions 100 Years Later
It’s been a century since the exposition in Paris gave birth to a movement. Its appeal has never faded.
When a magnificent collection of jewelry came up for auction at Christie’s last November, everyone knew it would be a blockbuster. The dazzling array of diamond, ruby and emerald concoctions commissioned from Cartier on Bond Street in London in the 1920s and ’30s had remained in the hands of the Sassoons, a prominent Baghdadi Jewish dynasty, for the ensuing century. It even survived the bombing of the bank where it was stored during World War II. The group’s star lot—an exceptional Indo-Persian art deco diamond necklace weighing from 130 carats to 140 carats—was a rare example of historic preservation from an era in which most significant jewels were sold off or remodeled. And it was priced accordingly, with a high estimate of 1.3 million Swiss francs ($1.63 million).
It sold for 4.4 million francs—one of many recent testaments to the enduring appeal of art deco, which celebrates its 100th anniversary this year.