Art Deco Rings

The early 1900’s all the way up into the 1930’s were exciting days for the civilized world. In a short period of time, so many important changes took place which would help to shape the future like never before.. First was the invention of the automobile, followed by riches gained and lost in the stock market crash and of course the Great Depression. Although times where quickly changing, one thing remained the same; People had a sense of dignity and pride in the way that they dressed and carried themselves in public.

Styles during this time changed dramatically and this era can be referred to as the “Art Deco” era. Art Deco styling can be seen in a variety of items from architecture and cars to home furnishings, fashion and jewelry. As a whole, the art deco movement had its roots after the World Exhibition in France in 1900. Famous for its use of geometric shapes along with materials and color schemes not previously used, the Art Deco movement brought a new sense of style and sophistication that the United States had never experienced. Art deco jewelry is also sometimes referred interchangeably with “costume jewelry” since this type of styling was first used in costumes for plays during the early 1900’s. Designers outside of theater started to borrow these elements and created dramatic pieces full of color and style.

Art Deco jewelry as a whole is beautifully designed and sophisticated and is seeing a remarkable resurgence in it’s popularity in recent times. Some of the earmarks of art deco jewelry are the use of pearls, diamonds, colored stones, platinum and white gold. Unlike todays common gold rings, most rings from the art deco time period where either white gold or platinum with colored stones or diamonds. After WWI, the availability of these precious stones increased and were common in the designs of art deco rings. Of the stones that became readily available were ruby, diamond, emerald and sapphire.

With this newfound sense of style, art deco rings became more and more impressive. It is not uncommon to see a ring from this period with a number of different colored stones together in one piece to form a dramatic, yet elegant ring. The contrast of the colors together and placed on a white metal ring make this truly unique items. During this time period, even diamond cutting was updated and reflected new cuts of diamond including baguettes, triangle and calibre cut diamonds which were previously not used. At this time it also became possible to work with plastic, which had never before been invented and which brought a whole new element design not previously possible with materials available at that time. Because plastic could essentially be molded into any shape, more and more designs featured shapes that were previously impossible to make.

Also unique to this time period is the fascination with Egyptian and Eastern influenced designs as well as airplanes and automobiles. In 1923 King Tut’s tomb was discovered and this fueled an intense interest in rings that featured Egyptian themes including the use of stones which were found in King Tut’s tomb. The eastern influence paved the way for the use of carved gemstones, ivory and jade to be used frequently in the design of art deco rings. With growing popularity of automobiles and also air travel it was also common during this time to see jewelry and rings that included automobile and airplane themes.

As with the previous fine jewelry which was only part of the upper ranks of society, art deco jewelry brought jewelry to the masses. No longer was jewelry only associated with economic status, but it was also now viewed for its aesthetic value and what it added to a wardrobe rather than just being associated with the upper echelons of society. It was fashionable at this time to wear jewelry that was colorful and added to the wardrobe but at the same time was quite inexpensive and affordable for many.

Today we can thank the time period between the 1900’s and the 1930’s for bringing the idea of jewelry as an accessory to the masses. Whether you are a collector of Art Deco rings and jewelry or looking to add a new element to your wardrobe, art deco rings offer a glimpse into our past; A past that shows a level of grace and sophistication somehow lost today.