Verdura Blue Lapis and 18 Karat Gold Criss Cross Bar Cufflinks
View Similar Items
Verdura Blue Lapis and 18 Karat Gold Criss Cross Bar Cufflinks
About the Item
- Creator:
- Metal:18k Gold
- Stone:Lapis Lazuli
- Weight:20 g
- Dimensions:Width: 0.75 in (19.05 mm)Length: 1 in (25.4 mm)
- Period:Late 20th Century
- Date of Manufacture:late 20th century
- Condition:
- Seller Location:New York, NY
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU1224988413
Verdura
Fulco di Verdura (1898–1978) is not exactly a household name, except for those who know a thing or two about highly original, often eccentric handcrafted jewelry and, even more so, for those fortunate enough to own some. In that exclusive group, Verdura is regarded as the most gifted and coveted designer of his time.
Verdura was born in Sicily in 1898, the scion of a noble family related to the Lampedusas. (His cousin, Giuseppe di Lampedusa, wrote the great Italian saga The Leopard). His life was charmed from birth. Raised in his family’s villa, he grew up during a time when Sicily, and Palermo in particular, were meccas for well-born and highly cultured European travelers.
A bona fide duke with no clear ambitions but creative leanings aplenty (he could draw and paint), the young Verdura was part of the wandering social circuit — the so-called beau monde — that went from capital to capital, resort to resort.
Verdura, though small in stature, had that indefinable quality called charm. As a result, he was the life of every party he attended. When he finally started designing jewelry under Coco Chanel in the late 1920s, many of his friends became his clients (or received the pieces as gifts). Elsa Maxwell took him under her ample wing when she was hired to do public relations for the Lido in Venice and introduced him to the local and visiting cognoscenti. Chanel, whom he met in Venice, hired him to work in the textiles division of her fashion house. But it was his flair for jewelry that soon caught Coco’s eye. Eventually, he rose to become her personal designer of fine jewelry.
In 2002’s Verdura: The Life and Work of a Master Jeweler (Thames & Hudson), Vanity Fair’s Amy Fine Collins describes the sensation of wearing pieces by Verdura, who drew inspiration from nature for his signature gem-studded seashell brooches and honeybee earrings. “They were ingeniously calculated to flatter the wearer,” writes Collins. “Earrings undulated to complement the convolutions of an earlobe, rings seductively followed the phalanges of a finger, and necklaces gracefully traced the anatomy of the throat.”
In 1934, Verdura left Chanel and together with two friends, aspiring actress Princess Natalia Pavlovna Paley and Baron Nicholas de Gunzburg, moved to the U.S. After several stops, he found a job through Diana Vreeland in Hollywood with Paul Flato, then the “jeweler to the stars.” Soon he was signing his work and helping Flato cultivate the crème de la creme of the silver screen — those both on it and behind it.
Verdura left Los Angeles for New York and opened his own salon, first on Fifth Avenue in 1939, just as World War II was beginning in Europe. His backers were Vincent Astor and Cole Porter, for whom he made bejeweled boxes and cigarette cases — gifts from Porter’s wife, Linda — to commemorate the opening nights of several musicals. Verdura began to expand both his repertoire — he became much more daring and flamboyant — and his clientele. The Duchess of Windsor, Daisy Fellowes, Greta Garbo and others routinely gave him commissions. In 1941, Verdura collaborated on a collection of six pieces with Salvador Dalí to accompany a Dalí exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art. Verdura retired in 1972 and left the care of the company to his partner, Joseph Alfano. He later moved to London, where he died in 1978 at the age of 79.
Among the most prized pieces on display in a 2014 Verdura jewelry exhibition in New York were Greta Garbo’s curb-link bracelet watch, which Verdura designed for her in 1939; Coco Chanel’s pair of Maltese Cross cuff bracelets (she wore one on each wrist); and Diana Vreeland’s duo of Byzantine brooches.
Find a range of authentic Verdura jewelry today on 1stDibs.
- Van Cleef Lapis and 18 Karat Gold Bar CufflinksBy Van Cleef & ArpelsLocated in New York, NYFine pair of 18K yellow gold and lapis lazuli bar cufflinks by Van Cleef & Arpels. These cufflinks feature a bar design with lapis inserts; on the opposite side is an easy to use fo...Category
Late 20th Century Cufflinks
MaterialsLapis Lazuli, Gold, 18k Gold
- TIFFANY & CO. SCHLUMBERGER Lapis 18k Gold Acorn CufflinksBy Jean Schlumberger for Tiffany & Co.Located in New York, NYElevate your style with the timeless sophistication of Tiffany & Co. Schlumberger Lapis 18k Gold Acorn Cufflinks. Exuding refinement and luxury, the...Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Cufflinks
MaterialsLapis Lazuli, 18k Gold
- Patek Philippe Calatrava 18k White Gold Cross CufflinksBy Patek PhilippeLocated in New York, NYFine pair of 18K white gold cross cufflinks, from the "Calatrava" collection by Patek Philippe. They feature the company's trademark design, exce...Category
Late 20th Century Cufflinks
Materials18k Gold, White Gold
- Buccellati Diamond and 18 Karat Gold Cufflinks and 3 Studs SetBy BuccellatiLocated in New York, NYFine set of cufflinks and studs in diamonds and 18K yellow gold by Buccellati. The cufflinks feature a high quality round brilliant cut diamond. The gold is detailed in the tradema...Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Cufflinks
MaterialsDiamond, 18k Gold
- Mario Buccellati Classic 18 Karat Gold CufflinksBy BuccellatiLocated in New York, NYFine pair of cufflinks in 18K yellow gold by Buccellati, circa 1960-70s. The cufflinks feature an oval shape with intricate hand etched workmanship, the gold is detailed in the trade...Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Cufflinks
Materials18k Gold, Gold
- Begum Khan Colored Stone and Sapphire 18 Karat Gold CufflinksLocated in New York, NYVery fine pair of 18k gold and multi-colored stone dumbbell cufflinks by Begum Khan. The cufflinks feature a scepter like design pave set with colored stone...Category
2010s Cufflinks
MaterialsSapphire, 18k Gold
- Verdura Lapis Gold and Diamond set CufflinksBy VerduraLocated in Chicago, ILCirca 2000 Verdura Cufflinks, Comprised of a Lapis Lazuli Ball measuring 1/2 inch and diameter, 7 Gold bezel set Round Brilliant cut Diamonds, a whit...Category
Early 2000s American Cufflinks
MaterialsDiamond, Lapis Lazuli, Gold, 18k Gold
- 18 Karat Yellow Gold Lapis Lazuli Bar CufflinksBy AVGVSTALocated in Milano, ITThe deep blue shade of the lapis lazuli stone gives this pair of cufflinks a modern, sophisticated look. Both toggle and front face are shaped as hexagons and the post that links the...Category
2010s Italian Contemporary Cufflinks
MaterialsLapis Lazuli, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
$825 Sale Price25% Off - 18 Karat Yellow Gold Lapis Lazuli Mother of Pearl Blue Sapphires Bars CufflinksBy AVGVSTALocated in Milano, ITThe deep blue shade of the lapis lazuli gives at this beautiful, sophisticate but at the same time classic pair of cufflinks a strong shade while the mother of pearl add a delicate a...Category
2010s Italian Cufflinks
MaterialsLapis Lazuli, Blue Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
$1,072 Sale Price25% Off - 18 Karat White Gold Lapis Lazuli Mother of Pearl Blue Sapphires Bars CufflinksBy AVGVSTALocated in Milano, ITThe deep blue shade of the lapis lazuli gives at this beautiful, sophisticate but at the same time classic pair of cufflinks a strong shade while the mother of pearl add a delicate a...Category
2010s Italian Cufflinks
MaterialsLapis Lazuli, Blue Sapphire, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
$1,076 Sale Price25% Off - 18 Karat Yellow Gold Lapis and Coral CufflinksLocated in Scottsdale, AZMaterial: 18K yellow gold Dimensions: cufflinks measure 20.5mm Weight: 13.90 gramsCategory
21st Century and Contemporary Cufflinks
MaterialsCoral, Lapis Lazuli, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
- Triangular Natural Blue Lapis and Diamond Cufflinks 18 Karat Yellow GoldLocated in Carmel-by-the-Sea, CAOne of a kind natural blue Lapis and Diamond cufflinks designed in 18 karat yellow gold. The vibrant blue lapis is polished and accented with five (5) round brilliant cut diamonds at...Category
2010s Unknown Cufflinks
MaterialsLapis Lazuli, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold