Collection: Mid-Century Jewelry

Mid-Century jewelry refers to pieces created from about 1950-1965 during the post-World War era. This transitional period between the Retro and modern periods marked a shift from the more masculine, chunkier styles of the Retro 1940s to pieces that reflected clean lines, geometric shapes and designs inspired by the atomic and space ages. Mid-century jewelry features open gold work, textured and brushed mesh and braided wire - contrasting with the heavier polished look of the earlier Retro period. Popular motifs included floral designs, whimsical animals, gem-encrusted charms and Sputnik globes as well as abstract patterns.  Matching jewelry suites were popular in the Retro period, with short necklaces, clip-back earrings and flexible gemstone-encrusted bracelets.

Authenticating jewelry requires nuanced expertise. Many thousands of pieces of jewelry from every era and every maker have passed through our hands for over 40 years. This familiarity enables us to know what a piece should look and feel like, if it has the expected quality of material and workmanship, if the metal and makers marks are correct and if the expected signature is authentic.

As a first step, we look at the front and back of every bracelet, ring or brooch, turning it over in our hands to see that the workmanship on the reverse is as fine as the detail on the front. Using a loupe, the jeweler’s essential tool, we look carefully at many different touch points, some of which include examining the precision with which diamonds are mounted in their settings, the manner in which gold or platinum links are connected to each other, the fineness of the material, the quality of the azuring - a difficult and refined aspect of metalwork and lastly, the flawlessness of the polish.

If we have any doubts whatsoever as to authenticity, we submit the piece to the relevant firm, be it Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Verdura, David Webb and others. We also request the original bill of sale, box and papers for those items most commonly faked such as Cartier Love brackets and VCA Alhambra pieces. And just as banks know their customers, we, too, ensure we know enough about our clients to assure ourselves of their ownership and provenance.

Our team of GIA-certified jewelry experts has such a well-regarded reputation in the international jewelry industry that we are frequently called upon to advise auction houses, appraisers and other dealers in matters of authenticity and value.