After the war, massive geometrical jewels of the 1940's were replaced by more naturalistically inspired designs. Precious stones returned with a vengeance as did scrollwork and curved mounts. In 1948 Cartier produced the first fully three dimensional panther brooch, commissioned by the Duchess of Windsor.
Gold was the favorite metal for Estate Jewellery, whether as White Gold, Yellow Gold, Green Gold, Pink Gold or Red Gold, overtaking the supremacy of Estate Platinum Jewelry and diamonds still reined supreme in Estate Diamond Jewelry. The frugality of the 1940's was being overshadowed by the opulence of the 1950's.
Abstraction and surrealism achieved widespread popularity. An attempt was made to combine aesthetics and functionality and straight angular lines were abandoned in favor of rounded, aerodynamic surfaces. The USA led the way, closely followed by the Italians, who were original, innovative, functional and elegant. Bulgari, Cusi, Faraone and Settepasse were responsible for many outstanding creations and Valenza Po and Arezzo were centers for the mass production of Estate Jewlery, manufacturing latticework and gold mesh. Evening jewelry wear was characteristically platinum, palladium or white gold reserved for rich and opulent precious stone parures while day wear was gold tubular chains, corded wire and fringes discreetly set with precious stones. Several rows of graduated cultured pearls became the indispensable ornament of fashionable women and natural pearls started to rise in price again after falling with the invention of the cultured pearl in the 1920's.
Interesting combinations of ruby and turquoise, diamond and multicolored citrine, topaz and emerald were experimented with but coral and turquoise remained the favorite semi-precious stones. The favored decorative motifs were flowers and leaves while the exoticism of tropical flora particularly fascinated jewelery designers, animals became an acceptable subject for Estate Jewelry, in contrast to abstractedly inspired volutes, helixes, spirals and turban motifs.
Jewels of the 1950's lacked radical innovations in form and chromatic use of stones and their strength of designs were weaker than former years, but the style is characteristic of movement and lightness.
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