Perhaps the glitziest and loudest of all jewelry styles, Art Deco arrived on the scene in the 1920s.
Got its name from a French Exhibition – International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts. Held in Paris in the year 1925, and soon became widely known to the world as Art Deco. It is said that this style emerged from an outright desire to become modern. And when you think back to this period, it was the start of the Industrial Revolution.
Things were rapidly changing, with the manufacturing industry being powered by steam and the emerging internal combustion engine. Such is the magnetism of the Art Deco style, it is still very popular today, and unlike other eras, this one seems timeless. If you are looking for Art Deco jewelry items, specifically rings – here are some things to look out for.
Symmetry
One of the hallmarks of Art Deco is the symmetry. This means if you draw a line down the middle of the item, whether it be a ring or a piece of furniture, both sides would be identical. There are, for example, lovely Art Deco engagement rings from Kalmar Antiques, a respected dealer that has many different types of jewelry.
Geometric Shapes
The dawning of the machine era brought with it the ability to shape and craft items.
Art Deco jewelry consists of circles, ovals, squares, and rectangles. Diamonds, rubies and other precious stones were used. With the focus on glitz and glamour, bold and outgoing is the angle of approach. If you would like some further reading on identifying Art Deco jewelry, there are several references online that you can refer to.
Gold
Up until this time, gold was not so popular for ring making. But with the birth of the machine age, gold slowly became more popular for use as a ring band. Many young couples prefer the look of Art Deco diamonds in the engagement ring. And if you would like to browse a quality selection, it can easily be achieved with a simple online image search, as long as you use the right keywords.
Check the Weight
Art Deco jewelry items are typically heavy, with a robust look.
When you are looking at potential items, ask the jeweler about weight, as this is an indicator of authenticity. There is nothing subtle about this style and it is aimed to jump right out and shout! Perhaps this was fuelled by the excitement that the 1920s generated, and many experts say this period was the foundation for the 1940s Hollywood glamour.
Authenticity
If you are not an expert at identifying Art Deco jewelry, make sure you talk to an established online retailer. They will guarantee the authenticity of every piece they stock. Typically, the online jeweler would not differ from the High Street store. With the exception of the crippling running costs that entails, and you can rest assured that the item is genuine.
The Art Deco period produced some stunning examples of contemporary engagement and weddings rings. Should you be planning to pop the question very soon, an online search will reveal many fine examples.
