What era is Art Deco jewellery?

Art deco jewellery was first seen in the 1920s, and was a style not just seen in jewellery, but also furniture, architecture, and clothes. Art deco design defined the 1920s and 1930s, and Art Deco rings challenged traditional styles such as Edwardian rings. Many people bought art deco rings to represent their desire for modernity and change, and Art deco rings were emblematic of an era which considered itself to be global, luxurious, and contemporary.

How can you tell if jewellery is Art Deco?

To identify art deco rings, you need to understand the key design elements that defined the art deco period. Art Deco’s emphasis on dynamic colour, geometric shapes, and an angular design make it reasonably easy to spot art deco rings.

What are the key features of Art Deco?

There are several key features that can be seen in art deco jewellery design: Colour - the colour of the jewellery is important- art deco design utilised a lot of differing tones. Diamonds, rubies, sapphires and emeralds were extremely popular, as were different coloured gemstones, which were often placed next to each other on art deco rings to create a striking, contrasting look. Geometric Design - The design of art deco jewellery favours a lot of strong, bold shapes such as triangles, rectangles and squares. Rings often featured several shapes in one piece to create contrast, and interest for the eye. Jewel Cuts - The cuts of stones used in the jewellery is also an important indicator of art deco design- art deco rings, particularly favour linear cuts, such as emerald-cuts, baguette cuts, and asscher cuts.

What stones were used in Art Deco rings?

The stones used in art deco reflect the luxurious and dynamic feeling of the time period. Rubies, diamonds, sapphires and emeralds are some of the most popular stones in art deco rings. Designers also used other gems, such as onyx, turquoise and coral in order to create evocative colour schemes. These stones were popular in art deco rings because they were eye-catching, bold, and interesting.

Is Art Deco considered vintage?

One of the biggest questions we get here at Berganza is whether something is vintage or antique. Our collection of art deco rings are an interesting mix of both antique and vintage- and here’s why. Antique jewellery is defined as 100 years or older, while vintage jewellery is younger than 100 years, but over 50 years. As we are in the 2020s, some pieces from our collection of art deco rings may have become antique, although most will still be considered vintage.

Art Deco Rings | Art Deco Diamond Ring

...their array of stunning gemstones, including captivating Art Deco sapphire rings. Geometric shapes, including triangles, squares, and circles, are a key feature of art deco rings. At the time, they were a representation of the perceived modernisation of the period; people wanted to be seen as streamlined and contemporary. The layering of such unusual shapes created evocative designs that are still popular today, especially in antique engagement rings.

The contrast between the colours of many of the jewels used in art deco rings make the jewellery look eye-catching and intriguing, often offering the dramatic look that was sought after. Aside from art deco diamond rings, designers also used other dynamic jewels such as rubies, sapphires and emeralds. They also used many other gemstones such as coral, jade and turquoise to really experiment with colour.

Another trend within art deco rings was the use of monochrome, with black and white creating a beautiful yet evocative contrast. Diamonds were often combined with black onyx or enamelling to create this striking effect. This reflected the glamorous and bold trends of the time, and were a marked change from the pastel shades of Art Nouveau rings.

Diamonds were often the gemstones of choice within the Art Deco period. During the 1920s, they were mostly set in platinum, as this created the clean and bright look that was in fashion at the time. However, after the Wall Street Crash, it was popular for art deco rings to feature white gold and silver to keep up with the economic hardships of the 1930s.

Art deco rings were a hit with 1920s society. Modern flappers and suffragettes weren’t interested in the traditional features of Edwardian or Victorian rings. Art deco rings were truly emblematic of the cultural change within the 1920s. Elegant tiaras and diadems that were so popular with the Victorians had fallen quickly out of style; the new culture of the 1920s favoured modern, bright, and interesting designs. Along with art deco rings, they wore long necklaces and earrings to compliment the new fashions, beauty standards and lifestyle of the era. These rings truly represent the changing culture of the times, and are extremely popular even today. The beauty of art deco rings still captivates us, with many modern brides choosing original Art Deco engagement rings.

Alongside our stunning assortment for women, our collection proudly showcases an impressive variety of mens art deco rings, spanning two decades of innovative styles. If any of these beautiful art deco rings catch your eye, contact one of our specialists online, or visit us at our Hatton Garden jewellery showroom.