Art Deco Brooches
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.
1940s American Vintage Art Deco Brooches
Sterling Silver
1940s American Vintage Art Deco Brooches
Rhodium
1940s Unknown Vintage Art Deco Brooches
Diamond, Platinum
1940s German Vintage Art Deco Brooches
Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
1940s Unknown Vintage Art Deco Brooches
Diamond, Ruby, 18k Gold, Platinum
1940s Vintage Art Deco Brooches
Diamond, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
1940s Unknown Vintage Art Deco Brooches
Diamond, 18k Gold, Platinum
1940s American Vintage Art Deco Brooches
Rhodium, Base Metal
1940s American Vintage Art Deco Brooches
Sterling Silver, Enamel
1940s American Vintage Art Deco Brooches
Silver Plate
1940s American Vintage Art Deco Brooches
Rhodium, Base Metal
1940s American Vintage Art Deco Brooches
Base Metal
1940s Unknown Vintage Art Deco Brooches
Diamond, Platinum
1940s Danish Vintage Art Deco Brooches
Sterling Silver
1940s Vintage Art Deco Brooches
1940s American Vintage Art Deco Brooches
Rhodium, Silver, Base Metal
1940s Vintage Art Deco Brooches
Aquamarine, Diamond, Platinum
1940s French Vintage Art Deco Brooches
Coral, Silver
1940s European Vintage Art Deco Brooches
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold, Rose Gold, Yellow Gold
1940s American Vintage Art Deco Brooches
Sterling Silver, Vermeil
1940s American Vintage Art Deco Brooches
Diamond, Platinum
1940s American Vintage Art Deco Brooches
Crystal, Rhodium
1940s French Vintage Art Deco Brooches
Pearl, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
1940s American Vintage Art Deco Brooches
Rhodium, Base Metal
1940s American Vintage Art Deco Brooches
Crystal, Rhodium
1940s French Vintage Art Deco Brooches
Diamond, Platinum
1940s Vintage Art Deco Brooches
14k Gold
1940s American Vintage Art Deco Brooches
Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
1940s Vintage Art Deco Brooches
14k Gold, Yellow Gold
1940s American Vintage Art Deco Brooches
Gilt Metal
1940s Unknown Vintage Art Deco Brooches
Diamond, Natural Pearl, 18k Gold, Platinum
1940s British Vintage Art Deco Brooches
Natural Pearl, Tourmaline, Gold, 9k Gold
1940s Vintage Art Deco Brooches
Diamond, Platinum
1940s American Vintage Art Deco Brooches
Gilt Metal
1940s Vintage Art Deco Brooches
Garnet, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
1940s South American Vintage Art Deco Brooches
Vermeil, Sterling Silver
1940s American Vintage Art Deco Brooches
Crystal, Gilt Metal
1940s French Vintage Art Deco Brooches
Other
1940s American Vintage Art Deco Brooches
Rhodium, Enamel
1940s Unknown Vintage Art Deco Brooches
Diamond, Platinum
1940s Unknown Vintage Art Deco Brooches
Diamond, Platinum
1940s French Vintage Art Deco Brooches
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Platinum
1940s French Vintage Art Deco Brooches
Bronze
1940s Swiss Vintage Art Deco Brooches
Diamond, White Diamond, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow ...
1940s American Vintage Art Deco Brooches
Vermeil, Sterling Silver
1940s Unknown Vintage Art Deco Brooches
White Gold
1940s Vintage Art Deco Brooches
Gold Plate
1940s American Vintage Art Deco Brooches
Crystal, Sterling Silver, Gold Plate
1940s American Vintage Art Deco Brooches
Gilt Metal
1940s American Vintage Art Deco Brooches
Gold Plate, Rhodium, Base Metal, Gilt Metal
1940s American Vintage Art Deco Brooches
Emerald
1940s American Vintage Art Deco Brooches
Rhodium
1940s American Vintage Art Deco Brooches
Crystal
1940s Vintage Art Deco Brooches
Vermeil, Sterling Silver
1940s Unknown Vintage Art Deco Brooches
Diamond, Platinum
1940s American Vintage Art Deco Brooches
Purple Sapphire, Green Sapphire, Yellow Sapphire, Pink Sapphire, Blue Sa...
1940s American Vintage Art Deco Brooches
Vermeil, Sterling Silver
1940s American Vintage Art Deco Brooches
Gilt Metal