Art Deco Devant de corsage by Boucheron, designed by Lucien Hirtz. Image by Skinner Inc.

During the 1920s, graphic designs de-throned the garland style of the courtly Edwardian era. Dresses with dropped waists and boyish silhouettes freed women from the hourglass-confines of the corset. Beaded fringe danced in jubilation at the bottom of a flapper’s skirt.

Art Deco offerings from Nelson Rarities, www.nelsonrarities.com

Diamond-cutting technology improved and cutters could now produce finer, more varied and unusual stone shapes, thus giving rise to emerald-, French-, and calibre-cut diamonds. These shapes, as well as kite-, shield-, marquise- and baguette-cut became the lexicon of Art Deco jewelry and would remain popular well into the 1930s. By end of the 1920s, color was almost completely absent. A brash yet complex mix of diamond geometry came into play. It would not only define the period, but also set the bar for glamour forever after. Jewelers like Harry Winston, the first anointed king of the red carpet, would owe much to the ingenuity of the jewelers and craftsmen of the the 1920s and 30s.

Platinum and diamond bracelet, circa 1930

In terms of how diamonds were cut, Art Deco jewelry reflected the advances of the machine age. Victorian diamonds were hand-faceted and commonly lumpish, even ungainly, in appearance — naive characteristics now revered for their charm and unique quality. Yet, with the advent of technology came new ideals and better lighting. The proportions of gem cutting would change dramatically so as to improve the brilliance of a diamond.

Cartier Art Deco ruby, diamond and platinum ring

Stones today are produced for maximum carat weight as opposed to assisting with design aesthetics. During the Deco period inventive shapes were developed with little regard for the material lost in cutting the stone to the desired silhouette. There was bullet-, French-, calibre-, emerald-, marquise-, crescent-, and half-moon-shapes — almost as many as the imagination could dream up. These diamonds were inherent to design of the piece. Rings had nice full stones, like the emerald-cuts. Wide bracelets most commonly feature these exotic shapes and gave them their evocative character.