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To see our wonderful selection of vintage and antique estate jewelry go to http://stores.shop.ebay.com/Aletto-Jewelry-of-Boca-Raton. If you have any questions contact us through EBay's "ask A Seller A Question link. You can also e-mail us at francoaletto@gmail.com or for fastest service call direct at 561-212-0503. We have some interesting facts listed below about various aspects of the world of jewelry. We hope this section will inform as well as entertain our visitors. Thank you! | |
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History of Cartier
The Prince of Wales hailed Cartier as "Joaillier des Rois, Roi des Joailliers" (Jeweller to Kings, King of Jewellers"). Cartier received an order for 27 tiaras for the coronation of the future King. King Edward V11 was crowned in 1902 and in 1904 he honoured the Company with the royal warrant of supplier to the Royal Court of England. Similar warrants soon followed from the courts of Spain, Portugal, Russia, Siam, Greece, Serbia, Belgium, Romania, Egypt and finally Albania, and also from the House of Orleans and the Principality of Monaco.
The three brothers nurtured each one, not only by receiving a cosmopolitan clientele in their salons, but embracing the world by sometimes undertaking adventurous journeys themselves.
Pierre - Camille
At the request of his brother, Louis, Pierre went to Russia to research the finest enamels and hard stone animals in order to compete with Peter Carl Faberge. In 1910 in New York, he sold his famous blue "hope" diamond to Mrs. Evalyn Mclean and strengthened his connections with clients from Finance and Modern Industry in the New World: the Rockefeller's, Vanderbilt's, Gould's, Ford's, etc.
Jacques - Theodule
From London, Jacques travelled in quest of the most beautiful fine pearls in the Persian Gulf. He went to the Indies and devoted himself to the Maharajahs' desires to have their multi-coloured treasures reset in the London studios to designs created by Cartier. Together with his brother, Pierre, he carried on and successfully completed transactions to buy a great many fabulous and historic fine pearls from Prince Youssoupov.
Louis - Joseph
In Paris, Louis received noble clients from Russia and organised several journeys to exhibitions in Saint Petersburg. His revolutionary introduction of platinum was an innovation in the field of jewellery. He surrounded himself with gifted craftsmen (Charles Jacqueau), guaranteed the involvement of the best craftsmen (Maurice Couet, Edmond Jaeger) and found devoted colleagues (Jeanne Toussaint). He succeeded in finding a perfect harmony in his creations, classical or rare strokes of inspirations, which bare their own style, the Cartier style.
Silver Collection
In 1923, the "S" department (S for Silver) presented an elegant collection of luxury accessories and jewels which inaugurated a new perception of luxury objects: less expensive but as stylish as ever, just like the "Must de Cartier" in subsequent years.
It was managed by Jeanne Toussaint before Louis Cartier entrusted her with Haute Joaillerie (high jewellery design) in 1933. That same year Cartier obtained the patent for the "invisible setting" (called "serti mysterieux").
Under Louis Cartier's management, the company was tirelessly innovative. Without doubt, he revolutionised the art of jewellery in all its forms and took Haute Joaillerie (high jewellery design), clock-making and Accessories to the summit of art: The Art of Cartier.
Louis Cartier died in 1942, the year in which his younger brother, Jacques, also died.
In 1968, Robert Hocq, the first maker in the world of gas cigarette lighters, created a luxury lighter which he licensed under the stamp of Cartier. This oval lighter revolutionized the market.
In 1969, Alain Dominique Perrin joined SA Briquet Cartier.
In 1972, a group of investors, brought together by Joseph Kanoui, took control of Cartier Paris and appointed Robert Hocq Chairman.
In 1973, the latter became absorbed with tradition, but also breathed youth and modernism into the organisation and its new creations. Some new lines of products were created: vermeil watches, leather goods, pens and perfumes were henceforth stamped Cartier. The first "Must de Cartier" boutique was opened in Biarritz, followed by one in Singapore.
In 1974, Cartier London was bought by the same group of investors. The international growth went on with the opening of the Tokyo "Must de Cartier" boutique. Robert Hocq began buying historic Cartier pieces at auction.
In 1976, another group of investors, brought together by Joseph Kanoui, bought Cartier New York whose management was handed over to Robert Hocq.
In 1979, marked the year of historic culmination in the reunification of Cartier's worldwide interests with the formation of Cartier Monde, which reunited and controlled Cartier Paris, Cartier London and Cartier New York.
Following the accidental death of Robert Hocq in the December of that year, Joseph Kanoui was appointed Chairman of Cartier Monde.
In 1981, Cartier merged with "Les Must de Cartier", and Alain Dominique Perrin was appointed Chairman of Cartier SAA and Cartier International.
In 1982, Micheline Kanoui assumed responsibility for jewellery design and launched her first collection "Nouvelle Joaillerie".
In 1984, Alain Dominique Perrin founded the "Fondation Cartier pour l'art Contemporain"(the Cartier Foundation of Contemporary Art) as proof of his determination to bring Cartier without delay into the twenty- first century, by forming an association with living artists.
In 1986, the French Ministry for Culture appointed Alain Dominique Perrin head of the "Mission sur le mecenat d'entreprise" (a commission to study a business patronage of the Arts).
In 1988, Cartier acquired a majority holding in Piaget and Baume & Mercier.
In 1989/1990 the first major exhibition of the Cartier collection was staged, at the request of a museum of international renown: "l'Art de Cartier" had a triumphant success at the Musee du Petit Palais in Paris.
In 1991, wishing to advance the influence of High Matchmaking, Alain Dominque Perrin founded an international committee, Comite International de la Haute Horlogerie, to organise the first salon international de la Haute Horlogerie exhibition which was finally held on 15th April, 1991. This has become an annual meeting place in Geneva for professionals in High Matchmaking.
In 1992, the second great exhibition of "l'Art de Cartier" was held at the Ermitage Museum in St Petersburg.
In 1993, the "Vendome Luxury Group" was formed as an umbrella company to combine Cartier, Alfred Dunhill, Montblanc, Piaget, Baume & Mercier, Karl Lagerfield, Chloe, Sulka, Hackett, Seeger.
In 1994, the Cartier Foundation moved to the Rive Gauche and opened their new headquarters, an architectural work of art designed for them by the architect, Jean Nouvel.
In 1995, a major exhibition of the Cartier Antique Collection was held in Asia.
In spring 1996, the Lausanne Hermitage Foundation in Switzerland hosted the exhibition "Splendours of the Jewellery", presenting a hundred and fifty years of artistic creation by Maison Cartier.
Today Cartier is a major participant in the luxury market and occupies a leading position in jewellery, watch-making and luxury goods.
The rise of the use of jewelry began when early humans ceased being nomadic, and started to settle down in certain areas, and began building communities. This new way of life happened about the same time mineral deposits started to be taken seriously, and put to some kind of use. Prior to this period early men decorated their bodies through some manner other than wearing jewelry. In some early cultures they did wear fishbone or shells, tusks or animal around their necks.
At first, jewelry forms were limited. Priests wore breastplates which had religious or spiritual significance, and it took some time before the upper classes began wearing different forms of jewelry for more decorative purposes. Gradually, craftsman began making special pieces that were meant to be worn on various parts of the body. The religious breastplates remained, but items were manufactured for the neck and torso as well as other parts of the body.
Early neck and torso pieces included necklaces, brooches stomachers, and belts. There were also special ornaments made for the head. These included headdresses, crowns, diadems, and tiaras. Hairpins and combs even had jewels embedded in them. Earrings, nose and lip rings along with earplugs began to make their appearance on the jewelry market. Decorated rings were also worn on the hands and toes, and specially designed armlets were worn on the arm, while bracelets graced the wearer's wrist. There were also thigh and ankle bracelets sported by jewelry connoisseurs in those earlier times. Jeweled shoe buckles made a debut a little later in the historical time line. These earlier traditions still thrive today.
Some of the earliest examples of jewelry were found in 2500 BC among the Sumerians. In the tomb of an ancient queen known as Pu-abi in Ur (Tallal-Mugayyar) which is in modern day Iraq, beautifully preserved jewelry and ornamentations were found. The queen was wrapped in a robe made of gold beaded with silver, lapis lazuli, cornelian, agate and chalcedony. The mummy was richly adorned with amulets, diadems, necklaces, earrings and rings. They found necklaces set in three rows of semi-precious stone, with circular flowers in the middle of them. Many of the artifacts recovered belong to other dignitaries and the queens. attendants. Early Sumerians shared the tradition with some other ancient cultures regarding burial practices. Those who were unfortunate enough to serve someone in the royal household killed themselves following burial ceremonies for that individual.
Archeologists discovered that by this time that the technical processes used to produce jewelry existed. Geometric shapes and animal and vegetable representations were widely used.
When archeologists began excavating Egyptian tombs they found some of the finest pieces of ancient jewelry still in existence. The tomb of Tutankhamen a young Egyptian pharaoh yielded and whole treasure trove of precious items. Somehow, his tomb had escaped being torn apart by grave robbers and the elements for thousands of years. A lot of the pieces that were found there are now housed in The Egyptian Museum in Cairo. The mummy was covered with an array of some of the finest ancient jewels ever discovered. The excavators found other jewels and ornaments spread all over the tomb. These jewels remained truly Egyptian although Egypt had extensive relations with other cultures during that time. Most Egyptian jeweled artifacts reflected the deeply religious nature of the people. Their jewelry was worn, as a rule, for religious purposes, or to convey a definite message. Among the most spiritual designs were representations of the scarab, the lotus flower, the eye of the God Horus, the vulture, the sphinx and the serpent. These and other symbols eluded to the religions beliefs of the pharaohs, and other symbols often referred to a myriad of other Gods. Some jeweled pieces were decorated to give a message about the cult of the dead.
Gold was the predominant metal used with gemstones. Gold was frequently decorated with three colors of cornelian, turquoise lapis lazuli. There was a definite symmetry and a rhythmic repetition of colors and shapes that were employed by the craftsman. They placed everything in alternating colors using cylindrical, spindles, disks and spheres.
The first sign of outside ideas appearing in the Egyptian jewelry trade started to appear in the 18th dynasty when unknown jewels began to be imported by the artisans for use in the jewelry industry. As this continued influence from foreign sources took hold in Egypt the old artistic methods gave way to new Hellenistic designs, and eventually Roman methods. The integrity of Egyptian jewelry eventually died out.
The Greek influence in the history of jewelry found an unforeseen ally in Alexander the Great. As Alexander made incursions into other lands the creativity of the great artisans of the time followed him. Greek jewelry was known by its. sculpture in miniature. Religious, mythological and heroic scenes were the themes they used in production. Just prior to the time of Alexander the Great in the 3rd and 2nd centuries B.C., technical talents among goldsmiths and gemstone craftsmen reached its highest level. They produced exceptional works of art. They incorporated rich overtones of contrast, harmony, clarity, unity and rhythm in their work. Just after Alexander conquered Persia beautiful diadems began to appear in the upper classes. Often a particular ornament was done in an elliptical shape, and bound together with the famous Hercules knot. The knot was used by ancient jewelry makers because it was supposed to possess mystical and magical qualites. Rome was a thriving center for early goldsmiths, and they built a jewelry trade there that was unrivaled until the Renaissance in Europe. They set up lapidaries, and goldsmiths came from Greece and the Mideast to work in them. At first fine jewelry was meant to be worn by the upper classes, but it is during the height of the Roman period that we see this custom start to change. Persons of lower social rank started to wear jewelry, and soon it became quite a common tradition. Gold was extended to household use: an example was the placing of precious stones in furniture. The Romans used Etruscan and Greek plots and patterns, but eventually began developing their own ideas. The Romans also started using colored stones such as topaz, emeralds, rubies, sapphires and pearls to craft a piece of jewelry. They preferred engraved gems, and these often became popularly collected among the upper classes. Their craftsmen also introduced new techniques. The most important one was the opus interassile, which is where the artisan took a flat or curved metal surface and decorated it with miniscule pierced stones.
The History of Bracelets
Bracelet popularity dates back to the Roman times and continues today.
Roman bracelets shared many of the design patterns of necklaces and earrings from that era. The ever popular ball earrings from that era were nicely matched with a ball style bracelet. Engraved bangles and snake bracelets were very popular during Roman times. Bracelets made of twisted coil with lion head ends were common place, as were the two part bracelets ending with a pair of lion heads. The Heracles knot bracelet is recognized as a Roman era piece. The Roman’s were very creative in the designing of their jewelry. However they still borrowed from Greek motifs. Palmettos, fleeing dogs and acanthus leaves, all of Greek origin, were often seen in the designing of Roman jewelry.
Stones and glass were often used in Roman bracelets. . Gem stones were commonly found set in eyes. Open bands were cut to represent a row of ivy and entwined with pearls. Many of the leaf and berry bracelets were heavily adorned with decorative glass. The wealthier women could be seen wearing bracelets layered in bezel set emeralds.
During the Georgian times bracelets remained popular. Paris jewelers were known for their gold bracelets set with pearl edging. After the 1820s coral became the “in” fashion statement, so bracelets and other jewelry were heavily set with coral.
During the Gerogian time it was very fashionable to wear many bracelets at once, including wide ribbon gold mesh bracelets, and silk ribbon bracelets. Gem and Diamond bracelets were designed in geometric patterns. Gold was heavily used during this era.
The Victorian era brought changes to the fashions of women, including jewelry styles. Earrings grew long and dangled, bracelets became rigid and were normally worn in pairs. The buckle bracelet became very fashionable.
The jewelry of the Victorian era expressed sentiment, and bracelets were no exception. Bracelets would contain lockets or charms with pictures or hair of a loved one, and engravings were common
Early Victorian jewelry enjoyed some mystic with hidden meanings being popular. The acrostic bracelets where the first letter of each gemstone spelled a word of friendship were very popular. For example a bracelet set with Lapis, Opal, Vermeil [hessonite garnet] and Emerald would spell Love.
The Art Nouveau period once again saw changes to fashion and jewelry. Chameleons and serpents entwined themselves around bracelets. The mystical Egyptian scarab was found on bracelets and rings. Other popular creatures included dragonflies, butterflies, bees, peacocks, swans, and even bats. This was a very figural period attached to nature.
If jewelry did not depict creatures it depicted flower blossoms or flower buds.
From 1910 to 1939 women’s fashions saw sleeveless or short sleeve dresses appear. The result was flexible bracelets and bangles worn on the upper arm. These arm bracelets were often adorned with gemstones or diamonds.
From 1940 to 1949 US designers were greatly influenced by the designs from the French house of Van Cleef & Arpels. Bracelets with ribbon of hexagon lines centered on fine gemstones fastened with heavy clasps became very vogue.
From 1950 to 1960 daytime saw simpler lines for not only gold bracelets but necklaces as well. Gold mesh or twisted wire bracelets were very popular.
From 1960 to 1970 bracelets became more flexible and were often set with gems. Bangles on the other hand became more rigid and were often seen set with random diamond placements.
From 1970 to 1979 bracelets were flexible and often set with tiny baguettes. Delicate and dainty bracelets were vogue.
From the 1980s to now bracelet fashions have been mixed and varied. Bracelet styles have become more of an individual fashion statement than a trend. Gold has always remained popular as have gems, however sterling silver has become very popular and recognized for its versatility and wear-ability at affordable pricing. In the last few years we have also seen an increase in demand for titanium bracelets.
Today a women’s fashion statement is about her! What she likes, what she feels good in. So your bracelet wardrobe can be what ever you want. Wear a dainty gem set gold bracelet or an armful of clunky bracelets, which is very vogue this season.
Your fashion statement is about who you are, so feel free to be you! | 
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