Jewellery is a unique piece of art. It’s more than just a fashion accessory meant to beautify the wearer’s body.
There’s a whole range of designs and pieces to choose from, from minimalist and simple ones, to bold yet classic and elegant, and even eclectic and special, as in the case of art deco jewellery designs.
Art deco jewellery refers to jewellery with designs borrowed from architecture. They’re not your ordinary, run-of-the-mill piece, as it’s unique, bold and intricate.
The attention to detail placed on art deco jewellery designs is enchanting, with geometric lines and shapes, arcs, pyramids and other shapes dominating this art style.
When looking for accent jewellery pieces, you can’t go wrong with selecting from the art deco department. Here are 10 top designs you might want to consider:
Art Nouveau Rings
The ‘art nouveau’ in art nouveau rings means new art. These rings were essentially born in France around 1890 to 1915, when France underwent many changes. In particular, for women, this was when they started fighting for their rights to work and study. Hence, art nouveau rings were meant to depict loveliness and unthreatening women.
Today, art nouveau rings feature geometric shapes and coloured stones. Think sapphires, emeralds, and rubies. Most of these rings are finished or set either in platinum or white gold to complement the stones’ lustre.
Antique Dangle Earrings
For the woman who enjoys shopping in antique stores and thrift shops, you might also find a few antique jewellery items, particularly dangle earrings. In contrast to plain studs, dangle earrings are meant to be bigger, as its name implies, dangling on your ear.
It’s an elegant classic design with lots of sparkles, often featuring copper and yellow gold, finished with colourful stones. It’s a statement piece that’s as pretty as it is exquisitely designed.
Gemstone-Studded Bracelets
There are many reasons why people wear gemstone-studded bracelets. Some believe in their power to bring balance, luck and good health in their lives or their homes. But even those who don’t believe in gemstones still wear them for their beauty and charm.
You can choose to wear many gemstones, mostly depending on your style preference. Despite mixing and matching the colours, gemstone-studded bracelets have an unexplainable hint of sophistication. It’s like your usual tennis bracelet, only with more character.
Filigree Pendants
Filigree is one of the most intricate designs that truly elevate jewellery, even going back hundreds of years. It refers to the delicate manipulation of metal in very thin strips, twisted and turned to create ornate and detailed texture and detail.
While it can be used for any jewellery, it’s mostly created as pendants to make long statement necklaces. Filigree pendants can either be in plain gold or can also be encrusted with a few stones or diamonds.
Geometric Bangles
Bigger is always better for those who love to bring their style game even higher. These types of bangles are art pieces by themselves, displaying the designer’s unique style and craftsmanship.
For thinner bangles, you can layer a few pieces as you please. You can have only one piece for bigger ones not to make it look too overwhelming on your arms.
Bold Brooches
Big-name designers have brooches in stores, as any elegant woman will most likely always have this in their closet. You can opt for modern ones or vintage pieces, depending on your style for the day. Brooches might be an understated piece of jewellery, but they add more bling to level up your outfit.
Multi-Strand Sautoirs
Multi-strand sautoirs mean multi-strand necklaces. You can have beaded ones or more elegant and expensive ones in gemstones and crystals. It can simply be a multi-layered necklace or come in more ornate designs. Because it already has a lot of character on its own, you can use that sautoir as an accent piece.
Vintage Watches
In this day and age where smartphones tell time, watches might no longer be a common sight. If you see someone wearing a watch, chances are they’re wearing modern smartwatches. While functional, smartwatches aren’t always the most stylish.
Don’t forget that watches can be a piece of jewellery, too. Vintage watches, in particular, are beautiful pieces of arm candy.
Ornamental Combs and Hair Clips
Women from over a hundred years back took their hair very seriously. It was an era of elegance, where messy buns and scrunchies didn’t find their place in high-society women. This is why ornamental combs and hair clips were very popular then.
Today, they’re making a comeback, with women also opting to finish off their look with jewels and sparkles on their hair. Imagine elegant floral designs adding even more femininity to elegant and graceful women.
Bejewelled Tiaras and Cigarettes
Who said tiaras were only made for the royal family? While most popular at weddings, anyone can wear tiaras, especially on special occasions. However, it’s unique since not many women choose to wear tiaras as headpieces. You can wear it as the main focal point of your accessories, particularly when dressing up for a black-tie event.
The Art Deco Distinction
Art deco jewellery is truly a distinct type. Think about the era of sophistication and glamour, where artisans placed much thought and detail into every piece they created. Gaining popularity between the ’20s and ’30s, owning an art deco jewellery piece means you have one that’s not like any other and isn’t mass produced.
Having a few art deco pieces in your jewellery collection means you have accessories that are antique, special and timeless enough to be passed on from one generation to the next.
Images: Art Deco Jewellery (supplied)