Scottsdale, Ariz. Nov. 12, 2018. Interior designer Christine, from Scottsdale, Ariz., may specialize in color consulting for home décor, but her taste in fine jewelry is more monochromatic. Thats because she loves Art Deco jewels thanks to fond memories of her grandmothers collection, including a Japanese pearl necklace given to her at age 10. Another treasured piece and memory? Her grandmothers Art Deco-style engagement ring, which she now owns. I love the geometric motifs that you can wear and live with, she explains.
Her love of period jewels was enhanced during several geographic moves made earlier in life. For a while Christine lived in New York City, discovering estate pieces in the Diamond District. Around this time, at age 30, Christine made her own first significant jewelry purchase, a platinum Art Deco ring with an old mine cut diamond and two rectangular baguettes on either side.
It was my divorce present to me, and it just screams Art Deco, she says. I bought it from Macys on 34th Street in their estate section. I think its an F color with only one or two small inclusions.
To advertise, contact Nicole@thejewelrybook.com.
When she moved to Stanford, Calif., she purchased a three-stone diamond ring in a linear pattern with scrolls that her second husband called gaudy. But Christine knew better. She was rewarded for her style savvy with myriad accolades from passersby. Everyone would stop me on the street and grab my hand to see it, she says.
For sure, the symmetry of the silhouettes (think circles, squares, and rectangles) drew her in, and splashes of color make styles even more appealing. This is why shes also a fan of costume jewelry designer Heidi Daus and bridge or demi-fine designer Stephen Dweck, from whom she made a recent purchase. I bought myself a Cleopatra-style collar necklace of his in silver with a long, thin rectangular-shape smoky topaz from Neiman Marcus, she says.
Still, the bulk of her collection is white gold and platinum with cooler-color gems mixed in as well as the occasional Adriana Orsini fashion number with CZ.
To advertise, contact Nicole@thejewelrybook.com.
Jewelry is wearable art, and the pieces I like are not for tiny girls, Christine explains. I always feel so lucky when I look down at my rings and wrists. I never take my collection for granted, and I never get tired of looking at it.
To advertise, contact Nicole@thejewelrybook.com.
Temptations
Christines collection of Art Deco jewels continues to expand, but shes also eager to learn about contemporary designers with similar aesthetics. Here are five more pieces that could appeal to her obsession and keep her collecting.
