Throwback to vintage glamour

Art deco got its name at the 1925 International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts in Paris, where art deco designs were first exhibited. While the terminology is mainly associated with architectural designs, art deco jewelry was hugely sought-after in the 1920s.

One of the hallmarks of art deco is the fusion of stylistic elements from different cultures — typically, a combination of European aesthetics and cultural motifs from China, India, Japan or Egypt. Another distinctive feature is the repetitive use of symmetrical geometric patterns. Also artisans incorporating art deco elements into designing functional objects — watches, toiletry boxes and perfume containers, among others — often fashioned them like pieces of wearable jewelry.

A number of upmarket global jewelry brands with a presence in Hong Kong are observing the centenary year of art deco by launching new lines of products. For instance, the spiky finish of bangles and necklaces in Cartier's recently launched Clash de Cartier range is inspired by the pyramid tops of art deco buildings.

Drawing audiences

Academic and popular interest in art deco as a cultural phenomenon is also on the rise. This was in evidence at the June opening of the Designing Jewels: 200 Years of French Savoir-Faire (1770-1970) exhibition at the University Museum and Art Gallery (UMAG) of the University of Hong Kong. A significant part of the exhibition is dedicated to jewelry design drawings, selected from the roughly 6,000 pieces of historical value in the collection of French luxury jewelry brand Van Cleef & Arpels.

A 1920s drawing shows three rectangular ncessaire cases. The green outlines suggest that the designs are meant to be realized in jade. The cloud motifs on the surface are typical of traditional Japanese landscape paintings.

An entire wall is dedicated to pendant designs sourced from Bredillard-Hatot - a leading supplier of artistically designed jewelry and watches to the Parisian elite in the first half of the 20th century. A number of these drawings are inspired by the circular form and intense geometric patterns typical of the Indian spiritual icon of the mandala.

Although these drawings date back to 1911, Lise Macdonald, president of L'cole, School of Jewelry Arts — the co-host of the exhibition with UMAG — counts them as art deco. "You can see how different Asian motifs were interpreted by French artisans during this period," she says, referring to the extensive use of jade and the generic Chinese and Japanese cultural motifs incorporated within European jewelry design frameworks. Bredillard-Hatot, for example, borrowed the form and calligraphy of Chinese coins in designing chatelaines - a multipurpose fashion accessory worn clipped at the waist by aristocratic European ladies.

In May, L'cole hosted another art deco-oriented exhibition — Divine Jewels: The Pursuit of Beauty, Selected Pieces from Kazumi Arikawa's Collection. Highlights included three fine examples of East-meets-West cultural confluence from 1925.

The first is a chinoiserie bracelet from Strauss, Allard & Meyer, depicting a Chinese landscape inlaid with diamonds, sapphires, rubies and emeralds. Sections of the piece were linked to complete the picture, like a polyptych. The second is a Vacheron Constantin fob watch in an enameled case modeled after the Japanese inro — sleek, handy wooden cases, typically with a lacquered surface, from the Edo period (1603-1868).

The third highlight is an extravagantly embellished Lacloche Frres chinoiserie desk clock. The clock face stands on the shoulders of a pair of guardian dogs carved out of rose quartz. The dial depicts a scene with birds and blossoming tree branches, intricately crafted using mother of pearl and other precious stones by Russian-born French master artisan Vladimir Makovsky, who is said to have perfected the technique of inlay work that would normally be left to artisans from East Asia.

Art deco clocks in particular are having a moment right now. Hong Kong Watch Auction: XX, held by Phillips in association with Bacs & Russo on May 23, featured four museum-quality, chinoiserie-inspired Cartier clocks made in the 1920s and '30s. These fetched a combined total of about HK$24 million ($3 million).

One notable piece, christened the "Lantern Clock", borrows its form from the traditional Chinese rectangular glass-case lantern. Carved out of nephrite, the piece is inlaid with gold, onyx, lacquer, diamond and coral and has Chinese-style numerals on the dial. It was a wedding gift for Princess Fawzia of Egypt when she was married to the then-crown prince of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, in 1939.

Familiar forms

Some experts believe that art deco has always been part of Hong Kong's cultural fabric. "Being a port city, Hong Kong is an amalgamation of cultures," says Uni Kim, auctioneer and head of high jewelry at Sotheby's. She adds that Hong Kong people are drawn to geometric jewelry designs because of their familiarity with similar forms and patterns in the city's architecture.

Kim might have a point. Celebrity French jewelry designer Marie Lichtenberg's Hong Kong debut in May was a total sellout. Some of her pieces pay homage to New York City's iconic art deco architecture. The thick ribbed sculptural bands on either side of Lichtenberg's ornate rings echo the vertical limestone panels of the Empire State Building.

The same building also inspired a '30s Mauboussin sautoir necklace in the collection of KS Sze & Sons — one of Hong Kong's oldest jewelry brands and a collector of vintage art deco jewelry.

"Art deco-era pieces are increasingly popular because they are beautiful and timeless," says the company's president, Camille Sze. "These complex creations reflect the modern and streamlined spirit of the era. Each piece includes significant art deco traits such as rich colors, bold geometry, and detailed artisanal work."

One of KS Sze's priceless vintage offerings is a circa 1937 double-clip brooch called Two Corners of Handkerchief. Designed by the influential French jewelry-maker Boivin, the diamond-studded platinum brooch is an example of masterful craftsmanship in terms of making a piece of gem-encrusted precious metal behave like a piece of cloth.

"Hong Kong collectors have always loved art deco," Sze says, holding up a platinum and onyx brooch with a 50-carat carved emerald, created for local jewelry collector Marianne Lau.

She goes on to add that besides being elegant and noble in appearance, most designs with Chinese elements — be it knots, mythological scenes, floral or architectural motifs — usually signify a philosophical idea.

Earlier this year, French high jewelry house Chaumet launched an art deco-inspired collection called Bamboo at its Hong Kong stores. The stars of the range include a "bib necklace" and a diadem — both based on technical drawings from 1931 and sketches of bamboo branches from 1840-50 preserved in the maison's archives. Crafted in white gold, with diamond-encrusted stems and gold leaves, both pieces represent an incredible achievement in terms of symmetry and geometrical harmony, while also drawing attention to the symbolic value of bamboo — associated with resilience and integrity in Chinese culture.