Dormouse Diamond Earrings

Fascination with the Jazz Age is endless, and even today jewelry designers continue to be inspired by authentic Art Deco jewelry and watches.

The Art Deco period, encompassing the 1920s and ’30s, ushered in a very distinct look in the design of jewelry. There were many influences on the jewelry of the era that actually began to take shape prior to the 1920s. In 1909, Serge Diaghilev brought the Ballet Russes to Paris, and women went wild for the company’s exotic and vibrant costumes It’s no wonder, then, that jade, lapis lazuli, coral, turquoise and other bright gemstones became all the rage. There already existed a fascination with the East, particularly China and Japan, and motifs consisting of fans and masks started to show up in Art Deco jewelry.

However, the event that had the greatest influence on Deco was the excavation of the tomb of King Tut in 1922. When the world saw what was hidden in Tut’s burial chamber, it sent just about everyone into a frenzy. Pierre Cartier wrote in 1923 that “the discovery of the tomb will bring some sweeping changes in fashion jewelry.” And he couldn’t have been more right. “Egyptomania” left an indelible mark on all of the major jewelry houses, from Cartier to Van Cleef & Arpels, Boucheron and Georges Fouquet. (Cartier created some of the most iconic jewelry designs that defined this era.)

While a lot of Art Deco jewelry was black and white — the black coming from the use of onyx or black enamel and the white from rock crystal and diamonds — there is plenty of color in jewelry of the era. A perfect accent to diamonds in platinum settings were blue sapphires, emeralds and rubies, and these stones were also used in combination with each other.

Many designers employed coral, jade and lapis lazuli, too. In fact, some of the most important avant-garde jewelers of the period, like Jean Després and Jean Fouquet (son of Georges), would combine white gold with ebony and malachite for a jolt of color.

A lot of the jewelry produced during this time nodded to current fashion trends, and women often accessorized their accessories. The cloche hat was often accented with geometric diamond brooches or double-clip brooches. Backless evening dresses looked fabulous with sautoir necklaces, and long pearl necklaces that ended with tassels, popular during the Edwardian period, were favored by women everywhere, including Coco Chanel.

Find unique Art Deco necklaces, earrings, bracelets and other jewelry on 1stDibs.

Ear piercing is very popular everywhere in today’s world. As a result, it is difficult to overstate how much everyone pines for a dependable pair of earrings. Modernist drop earrings, glamorous Victorian hoops, geometrically complex chandelier earrings — you can’t go wrong with this must-have accessory. For hundreds of years, lever-back earrings have been a part of this category of alluring jewelry.

The ancient Greeks fashioned earrings from gold that had a similar snapping mechanism to modern-day lever-back earrings. Lever-back earrings, as we know them, have come in and out of fashion over the decades, such as in the Georgian era. The lever back used on earrings in Europe eventually made its way across the Atlantic to jewelry design in the United States.

These accessories are typically thought of as the most reliable and safest way to wear earrings, so they are perfect for larger pieces with multiple stones. Famous jewelers such as Natkina and Tiffany & Co. have crafted gorgeous lever-back earrings for their collections over the years.

Vintage lever-back earrings range in style and appearance and are a charming addition to any wardrobe. Who doesn’t love the finishing touch that earrings can provide for one’s ensemble? A good pair of lever-back earrings can be more eye-catching than a bracelet: Even the most beautiful bangle can be overlooked on the wrist, while earrings, worn on either side of your face, are almost guaranteed to be noticed.

Find a variety of contemporary and antique lever-back earrings designed in styles to match any jewelry collection on 1stDibs.