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70’s Jewelry

by Julie MIALET 15 Sep 2020

Eclectic Jewelery !!

Fashion in the 70s

In a very eclectic style, jewels in the 70’s were a bit revolutionary and tried to break the classical codes of previous decades.

Quite voluminous and often very colorful, they were mostly made of yellow gold and were inspired by African or Amerindian ethnic trends. We can find pieces with an ethnic style, others that remind us of nature with flowers. It was at this time that the use of feathers and furs became more popular. We also observe a return to the Ancient such as ancient Egypt with scarabs motifs in hard stones.

Let’s not forget that this is the Hippie and disco era!

The 70s will also see the reappearance of hard stones, sometimes used raw: malachite, lapis lazuli, carnelian, turquoise, aventurine, ivory, coral, tiger’s eye, dioptase …

Among the emblematic designers are Jean Vendome, the Frenchman, David Webb, the American, Haroldo Burle Marx, the Brazilian, Andrew Grima, the British, Jean Dinh Van, the Franco-Vietnamese, Gilbert Albert, the Swiss or Roland Schad …

Mythical jewels

Some of the jewels created in the 70s are still very fashionable today and very popular. Van Cleef & Arpels’ Alhmambra motif is an example. The necklaces, rings or even earrings of this collection are always the bestsellers of the house.

Piaget’s ultra-flat watches with a decorative stone dial are again in the spotlight today. Other brands like Dior are selling such watches today.

Iconic creators

Jean Vendome, the Frenchman

Jean Vendome represents the best jewelery in the 70s. Creator since he was 18 years old, he had fast international success and was rewarded many times. In 1969, he was promoted to Officer of the Order of Merit and received the Prix de salon of the French School of the Museum of Modern Art. In the 70s, he represented France in many events around the world for jewelry events. In 1970, he was the first prize of the Jewelery Designers at the New York International Exhibition.

David Webb, the American

Born in North Carolina in 1925, David Webb first served as an apprentice goldsmith to his uncle. At the age of 17, he moved to New York where he seduced American high society.
In addition to his jewelry, he also designed fashion accessories. At the height of glory in the late 1960s, designer David Webb had a profound impact on American jewelry. His jewels combined elegance and perfect technical mastery. Using highly skilled craftsmen and experts in gemstone setting and enameling, his jewels were adorned with sparkling colors.

Haroldo Burle Marx, the Brazilian

Haroldo Burle Marx is a Brazilian jeweler based in Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro. He comes from a large bourgeois family, of German origin linked to Karl Marx. After studying gemology at Idar Oberstein in Germany, he returned to Brazil and opened a jewelery shop with his brother Roberto, an architect (who, among other things, designed the famous black and white pebble promenade in Copacabana). Their talent and social status allowed the two brothers to have a huge success from the beginning, attracting a very upscale clientele, including Jean de Luxembourg, Valentino and the Empress of Iran, Farah.
The Haroldo style mixes decorative stone work and architectural forms. Today his jewels are in great demand and are still very popular, especially at auction houses.

Jean Dinh Van, French-Vietnamese

Born to a Breton mother and a Vietnamese father, Jean Dinh Van opened his jewelery workshop in 1965, having spent ten years at Cartier as a jeweler. Wanting to overturn the codes of jewelry, he did not open a shop but sold his creations to Drugstore Publicis. It was not until 1976 that the first Dinh Van shop opened its doors on rue de la Paix in Paris.
Many of his creations still remain mythical today, such as the Chinese Pi in 24-carat gold and the handcuff motif, mounted in a bracelet, pendant, earrings or ring.

Gilbert Albert, Swiss

Gilbert Albert is a Swiss jeweler born in 1930, he died in October 2019.
He attended the School of Industrial Arts in Geneva. He was a watch designer and worked for Patek Philippe and Louis Cottier for whom he created the Cobra watch, characterized by its linear display.
Passionate about natural materials, he turned to jewelery and opened his first boutique in 1962.
Known for using unusual materials such as sea urchin skeleton, shark teeth, peacock feathers, his work is atypical and easily recognizable.
Inspired by the pharaohs, we often find the scarab pattern in the creations of Gilbert Albert.
His flagship jewel is the ring with interchangeable beads.
Gilbert Albert has received ten times the Diamonds International Award, the Oscar for world jewelry.
The various pieces created by Gilbert Albert are scarce in auction rooms and can reach large sums.

Andrew Grima, the Queen’s jeweller

Very famous in the 60s, he revolutionized jewelry at that time. He won several awards, including 13 De Beers Diamonds International Awards. The Grima style is quite recognizable. Very graphic and often in yellow gold, it mixes precious stones and fine stones with a remarkable work of gold. The jeweler had a more artistic than technical approach to his work.

Roland Schad, the Rough in elegance

This jeweller stands out for his use of rough gems in his creations but also for his particular work with “granite” gold. He was noticed for his work “L’arbre et le Soleil” showing a great prowess during the exhibition “Sculptures de Tempête” in 2004.

 

 

Kutchinsky, The extravagant

The House of Kutchinsky is a family of jewelers that left their mark on England in the mid-twentieth century.

Initially rich in experience at the Bavarian court, the Kutchinsky family developed a taste for extravagance from generation to generation, making them one of the leading names of their time.

 

If you are interested in vintage jewelry, don’t hesitate to discover what Julie’s stones have to offer in the store…

We are also available for any free expertise of your vintage jewelry, for that you can send an email with your photos to contact@lespierresdejulie.com.

Welcome to our store in the Swiss village of the 15th arrondissement of Paris!

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