Retro Ruby and Mother-of-Pearl Stud Set in 14K

Retro jewelry, which flourished from the late 1930s through the 1950s, is characterized by chunky, bold designs, oversized forms, and a sense of glamour that reflected optimism during and after World War II. Unlike the delicate pieces of the earlier art nouveau and art deco periods, retro jewelry features dramatic curves, large, oftentimes semi-precious gemstones, and sculptural motifs such as bows, scrolls and flowers. Jewelers often used yellow and rose gold, sometimes combined, due to wartime platinum shortages. Synthetic rubies and sapphires were also common demonstrating the era’s innovation and adaptability. Retro jewelry embodies a blend of Hollywood-inspired luxury and wartime resilience, celebrating strength and confidence through striking, bold design.

Authenticating jewelry and watches requires nuanced expertise. Many thousands of pieces of jewelry and watches have passed through our hands for over 40 years from every era and every maker. This familiarity enables us to know what a piece should look and feel like and if it has the expected quality of material and workmanship, the accurate makers marks and the correct signature in all the right places. Indeed, one of the easiest ways non-experts can be fooled is to assume a designer piece of jewelry is truly by that maker as pieces by commercial manufacturers are often outright fakes or signed fraudulently by a third party.
In practice, we first look at the front and back of a bracelet, ring, brooch or watch, turning it over in our hands to see that the workmanship on the reverse is just as fine as the detail on the front. Using the jeweler’s important tool, the loupe, we look carefully at many different touch points including 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 used, the flawlessness of the polish and the quality of the azuring - a difficult and refined aspect of metalwork.
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.

We stand behind every piece we sell with complete documentation, relevant GIA certification, and the best return policy in the industry, a full money-back guarantee, no exceptions.

Pearls require gentle care to maintain their natural luster and beauty. Avoid contact with perfume, lotion or cosmetics as these products can damage the pearl's surface over time. Occasionally gently wipe your pearls with a soft, damp cloth and store them separately to prevent scratching from harder gemstones or metals. If worn frequently, pearl strands may stretch over time and need to be restrung, ideally with individual knots between each pearl, an easy and inexpensive process well worth doing to avoid unexpected breakage or loss.