Tiffany and Cartier Showcase: Timeless Elegance [advertorial]

Cartier Art Deco

 

Advertorial by iPawn

For most jewelry, the day it’s bought is the day it loses most of its value. The jeweler’s markup aside, the trends of fashion are fickle, and what was haute may quickly fall from grace as new styles are explored and become popular. As harsh as the market may be, there is hope should you ever need to sell your jewelry.

Tiffany and Cartier are both more than a century old, and they could never have lasted without having a finger on the pulse of fashion. However, their names are synonymous with quality and elegance because through the decades they have not just known what was fashionable, but have consistently elevated the current styles with their dedication to craftsmanship and their eye for detail. They know the great secret of the fashion industry: tastes can change, but elegance is timeless.

Here then are a few examples of how these two masters of the craft have brought their own touches to the styles of the day, back when the modern jewelry industry was still young.

 

Art Nouveau

Art Nouveau was a game changer when it exploded on the fashion scene in the late 19th century.  It grew amidst the last days of the industrial revolution, and sought to remind us that jewelry was a piece of art.  It put a high focus on craftsmanship, but its biggest feature was the embrace of the natural world.  Japan was just opening up, and the naturalist Japanese art was a great influence on the craftsmen of the time, and the women who wore their pieces.

 

Tiffany Art Deco Bracelet. Source: 1st Dibs.

Tiffany Art Deco Bracelet. Source: 1st Dibs.

 

Tiffany has never been a company to shy away from bold designs.  This necklace shows many of the classic elements of Art Nouveau, the soft lines, bright enamels and beautiful gemstones in perfect balance.  The asymmetry of the main stone adds to the organic feel of the piece, seeming like a perfect fruit hanging from the necklace’s “vine”.

This piece is the perfect demonstration of timeless elegance shining through fashion.  It is, technically, out of style by nearly a century, and yet any woman would jump at the chance to have this necklace grace her neck.

 

Cartier Art Nouveau Bracelet. Source: Sotheby's.

Cartier Art Nouveau Bracelet. Source: Sotheby’s.

 

This bracelet from Cartier, with its flowing vines and nature motif, is an excellent example of what happens when a high fashion jeweler is inspired by nature. Its asymmetry lends it a tension that is impossible to replicate, and the beautiful pearls stand out strikingly against the black enamel.

This bracelet is unique even among antique Cartier bracelets for its use of the pink pearls against a backdrop of diamond and black enamel.  Needless to say, this stunning work of art will be wearable for the foreseeable future, regardless of the trends that come and pass by.

 

Art Deco

Art Deco saw a transformation in all design, not just jewelry. Architecture, sculpture, art, even typography was affected by its geometric designs and intricate patterns. Jewelry of course flourished under its influence, gemstones lend themselves easily to geometric patterns, and no jeweler worth their salt will shy away from intricacy, but will rather use it to showcase their skill.

 

Tiffany Art Nouveau Necklace. Source: Sotheby's.

Tiffany Art Nouveau Necklace. Source: Sotheby’s.

 

The geometric patterns of this diamond Tiffany bracelet can perfectly describe the essence of art deco. At every element the diamonds are used to enhance the design, their internal geometry adding an impossible intricacy to the bold lines of the bracelet itself. This balance of bold lines and delicate detail will never go out of fashion, regardless of the popularity, or lack thereof, of art deco at any given point in time.

 

Cartier Art Deco Necklace. Source: Bonhams.

Cartier Art Deco Necklace. Source: Bonhams.

 

Here Cartier proves that Tiffany doesn’t have a monopoly on the tension between bold and intricate.  This stunning necklace relies on the arrangement of its shaped diamonds to create delicate patterns of light out of an incredibly bold arrangement. The flawless geometry of the whole piece capitalizes on this, and relies on every stone creating its own unique patterns to work. A statement piece if ever there was one, any woman would be lucky to wear it.

So, as you search for the perfect piece of jewelry in the ever shifting trends of fashion, remember to search for those pieces that elevate the current craze beyond simply ‘what’s hot’, taking it into that timeless place where elegance and beauty are born out of popular inspiration. That way, the day you buy it won’t be the day it loses its value, but the day it gains its first in a long line of proud owners.

 

iPawn is a U.S. based online pawn shop dealing exclusively in high end luxury goods.  Whether to sell unwanted items, or to receive a short term loan on collateral, they are dedicated to getting their customers the best deal possible, and to get them the money they need, in the time that they need it.