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.
Early 20th Century Art Deco Brooches
Marcasite, Base Metal, Enamel
1940s American Vintage Art Deco Brooches
Rhodium, Base Metal
20th Century Art Deco Brooches
Diamond, Pearl, Platinum
Early 20th Century Art Deco Brooches
Base Metal
1930s American Vintage Art Deco Brooches
Rhodium, Sterling Silver
1970s British Vintage Art Deco Brooches
Diamond, Gold
Mid-20th Century Art Deco Brooches
14k Gold
1930s American Vintage Art Deco Brooches
Diamond, Sapphire, 10k Gold, 15k Gold, White Gold
1910s American Vintage Art Deco Brooches
Diamond, Yellow Gold, Platinum
1930s American Vintage Art Deco Brooches
Rhodium
2.75" x 1"<...
Early 20th Century American Art Deco Brooches
Sterling Silver
1910s Unknown Vintage Art Deco Brooches
Diamond, Platinum
1920s Vintage Art Deco Brooches
Platinum
1930s American Vintage Art Deco Brooches
1920s French Vintage Art Deco Brooches
Diamond, White Diamond, Pearl, Cultured Pearl, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Go...
Late 20th Century British Art Deco Brooches
Diamond, Emerald, Yellow Gold
1950s Vintage Art Deco Brooches
Rhodium
1940s Vintage Art Deco Brooches
Emerald, Sapphire, 18k Gold, Enamel, Yellow Gold
1930s Vintage Art Deco Brooches
Brass
20th Century Unknown Art Deco Brooches
Diamond, Jade, Platinum
1940s American Vintage Art Deco Brooches
Rhodium, Base Metal
1940s Portuguese Vintage Art Deco Brooches
Diamond, Emerald, Sterling Silver, Gold, 18k Gold, Rose Gold, Yellow Gol...
1930s American Vintage Art Deco Brooches
Brass, Gilt Metal
2010s American Art Deco Brooches
Crystal
1920s Vintage Art Deco Brooches
Diamond, Platinum
1930s English Vintage Art Deco Brooches
Diamond, Emerald, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Platinum
1930s American Vintage Art Deco Brooches
Gold Plate, Base Metal, Gilt Metal
2010s Unknown Art Deco Brooches
Diamond, Ruby, Gold, 18k Gold
Early 20th Century Art Deco Brooches
Diamond, Onyx, Platinum
1930s Unknown Vintage Art Deco Brooches
Diamond, Platinum
20th Century American Art Deco Brooches
14k Gold, Yellow Gold
1920s American Vintage Art Deco Brooches
Marcasite, Sterling Silver
1920s German Vintage Art Deco Brooches
Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold, Platinum
Early 20th Century Art Deco Brooches
Diamond, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, 14k Gold, Platinum
1910s Unknown Vintage Art Deco Brooches
Diamond, Pearl, Ruby, Yellow Gold, Platinum
1940s American Vintage Art Deco Brooches
Gilt Metal
1990s Italian Art Deco Brooches
1910s French Vintage Art Deco Brooches
Diamond, Onyx, Rock Crystal, 18k Gold, White Gold, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary American Art Deco Brooches
Crystal
Early 2000s Unknown Art Deco Brooches
White Diamond, Emerald, Onyx, Ruby, Blue Sapphire, 18k Gold
1920s Unknown Vintage Art Deco Brooches
Diamond, Platinum
Early 20th Century Unknown Art Deco Brooches
Chrysophrase, 18k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century French Art Deco Brooches
1940s Italian Vintage Art Deco Brooches
Diamond, Ruby
1930s American Vintage Art Deco Brooches
Rhodium, Base Metal
1930s French Vintage Art Deco Brooches
White Diamond, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Diamond, Yellow Gold, Gold, 18k ...
1920s Unknown Vintage Art Deco Brooches
Diamond, Emerald, Platinum
1930s French Vintage Art Deco Brooches
Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary American Art Deco Brooches
Diamond, Blue Sapphire, Sapphire, White Gold, 18k Gold, Gold
1930s American Vintage Art Deco Brooches
Rhodium
1930s Unknown Vintage Art Deco Brooches
Diamond, Zircon, Platinum
1920s French Vintage Art Deco Brooches
Diamond, Platinum
Mid-20th Century German Art Deco Brooches
Mixed Metal, Other
Late 20th Century Italian Art Deco Brooches
Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold
1930s American Vintage Art Deco Brooches
Rhodium
1920s French Vintage Art Deco Brooches
Early 20th Century American Art Deco Brooches
Ruby, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold