Glamorous Art Deco Silver & 12.73 ct Diamond Bracelet, c. 1940

Glamorous bracelets adorned with brilliant white diamonds were a great passion of the Art Deco era. Any lady who could afford it wore such treasures on her wrist – often not just one, but several at once, combined into a radiant arrangement of luxury. This is how we recognise the Hollywood stars of those years in old black-and-white photographs, images that continue to shape our idea of the great silver screen divas to this day. The bracelet presented here belongs to that world. It glows with the cool brilliance of 129 diamonds of various cuts, totalling an impressive 12.73 carats. A repeating pattern of stylised floral motifs alternates with smaller, plain links, creating a beautifully balanced design. Cleverly conceived, the pattern is continuous thanks to a clasp that visually disappears, allowing the bracelet to rotate freely on the wrist while always appearing magnificent. We date this piece to around 1940, a time when Art Deco forms became bolder, moving away from the delicate styles of the 1920s. Two factors support this dating to the wartime years: firstly, the bracelet is not made from platinum, but from silver. Secondly, the diamonds were repurposed from older pieces of jewellery and set anew in this bracelet. Historic old-cut stones and small diamond roses were used. Due to the war in Europe, traditional trade routes had been severed; jewellers of the time had to work with whatever materials were locally available. Platinum, for example, was no longer readily accessible after the war began, and so the shift to gold or silver was not purely a matter of choice. Similarly, the supply routes for precious gemstones had been disrupted, forcing jewellers to rely on stones already at hand. This gives jewellery from the 1940s a unique, one-of-a-kind character. Turning necessity into a virtue – in that, the goldsmiths of the time truly excelled. We love this bracelet because it makes the circumstances of its creation almost tangible. One sees the desire for beauty in difficult times – and the determination to create something new from the traditions of the goldsmith’s art. That vibrant energy can still be felt in the design to this day.

Schätzpreis:€12,980

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