Hermes Perfume Atomizer

One of the world’s foremost crystal manufacturers, Baccarat has long been emblematic of luxury and exquisite craftsmanship. Starting in the early 19th century, objects produced by the French company — from stemware to chandeliers to brightly colored paperweights — became a staple of noble and wealthy households across Europe and as far afield as India. Along with the purity and quality of their glass, Baccarat crystal makers can boast a remarkable fluency with a range of design styles — from cut-glass neoclassical pieces to sinuously etched Art Nouveau designs.

Baccarat began as a kind of industrial development project. In 1764, the Bishop of Metz and other landowners in heavily forested northeastern France persuaded Louis XV to sanction a glassworks in the area — timber being a key resource required for the furnaces used in glass production. In its early years the company produced humble products such as window panes and simple drinking vessels. In 1816 a new owner began making crystal, and seven years later Louis XVIII — who had taken the throne after the defeat of Napoleon — gave Baccarat its first royal commission, for tableware. In ensuing years, an estimated one third of the company’s workforce was dedicated to commissions to the Russian imperial court alone.

Spurred by the intense competition between global industries in the latter 19th century — fought in public view in the many world expositions of the era — Baccarat elevated its level of artistry by adopting new technologies and creating a rigorous training program. The firm broadened its stylistic range, embracing Asian influences and new engraving methods, and increasing production of its now iconic millefiori paperweights. The designer George Chevalier, who worked for Baccarat for more than five decades beginning in 1916, ushered the company into the realm of modernist design. In recent years, Baccarat has employed such renowned contemporary designers as Philippe Starck and Marcel Wanders, ensuring that Baccarat crystal will continue to enjoy pride of place on up-to-date tables. But as you will see from the offerings on 1stDibs, Baccarat has items to suit any taste.

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.