Coral Jewelry , Treasures from the Sea

Antique Carved Coral and Cloisonne Ring

https://www.etsy.com/listing/153258994/antique-ring-coral-and-cloisonne?ref=shop_home_active

Coral is one of four organic gems, the others being pearl, amber and jet. Colors of coral range from white to red and sometimes pink and white, and black. The most valuable corals are red, black and pink. Most coral is quite soft and, therefore, needs to be treated gently, especially when worn as a ring. Being comprised of calcium carbonate it can easily dissolve in acids so it should be kept away from even gentle acids such as lemon juice or vinegar.  In fact, touching lemon juice to coral is a simple test to determine its authenticity. If it is coral the lemon juice will begin to dissolve it. This test should be performed with caution on the underside of a piece to prevent ruining a lovely piece of  jewelry. 

Red coral is the most desirable and most expensive type of coral. It  can be found in the Mediterranean and in the Atlantic Ocean coastal regions of Portugal and Northern Africa. Other types of coral can be found all over the world, including the Great Barrier Reef of the east coast of Australia.  Most coral, because of the associations with the reefs hold a prominent place on the endangered list.

Coral jewelry has a prominent place in the history of jewelry and it has been a favorite since ancient times, dating to the Iron Age. Coral also plays an important role in religious history, and there are may myths and tales associated with coral. It was once believed that a piece of coral carried on a ship could protect against lightning. It was also thought to drive evil out of a home. Coral was also associated with the Greek goddess Minerva and was thought to have special powers against witchcraft, poison and robbery. Marco Polo's writings about coral may have triggered the craze for coral in ancient Rome where it was often beautifully carved and paired with gold in fabulous jewelry.

Today, the deep red Mediterranean coral, known as oxblood coral because of its color, is the most sought after and is bringing premium prices. Salmon color coral is also coveted. While antique jewelry is made of natural sea coral in its natural color, today's coral may be dyed to emulate the coral of earlier times. It is still very attractive but should be priced at a much lower cost than untreated coral.

Maud Frizon, The Queen of Vintage Couture Shoes

https://www.etsy.com/listing/152815413/maud-frizon-vintage-couture-shoes-sz-556?ref=shop_home_active

What Manolo Blahnik is to shoes today, Maud Frizon was in the 1960s and 70s. Her shoes were coveted, collected, and worn with pride.  In the 1960s and 70s Maud Frizon shoes were something to aspire to. When you wore a pair of Maud Frizon shoes you walked a little taller, knowing that you had something special. The photo above is of a vintage pair of golden metallic leather and embroidered Maud Frizon shoes from her Paris salon. 

Maud Frizon was a fashion designer specializing in women's shoes. She began her career in the 1960s as a model for Parisian Haute Couture Houses of Nina Ricci, Jean Patou, and André Courrèges. At the time models had to provide their own shoes to match the clothes designers assigned them for their runway shows and photo shoots. Frizon disliked the available shoes from other designers, and in 1969 elected to create her own and opened her first boutique in the St. Germain des Pres district of Paris.

That first shoe collection, with each pair hand-cut and finished, was praised by critics as sexy and unpredictable. Frizon was an immediate success. Building on the traditions of Beth Levine and foreshadowing the later designs of Manolo Blahnik, Frizon shoes were showy and extravagant, and her name joined the ranks of the haute couture boutiques. At the height of her success in the 1980s her reputation was similar to that of Blahnik today.

Frizon often used expensive and everyday materials together in unusual combinations: lizard and snake, suede and satin, canvas and crocodile. Brigitte Bardot was a regular at the boutique, famous for her love of Frizon's high-heeled Russian boots.

While the brand of Maud Frizon still exists (she sold the company), the shoes do not have the same flair and elegance of her original designs. Original Maud Frizon shoes are still something to aspire to.

The Lure of Rhinestones

Signed Weiss Vintage Rhinestone Brooch

https://www.etsy.com/listing/152812149/weiss-vintage-rhinestone-brooch-signed?ref=shop_home_active

Did you ever wonder why rhinestones are called rhinestones? It's because they were originally beautifully colored natural quartz pebbles sourced from the Rhine River during the late 1800s. They were immensely popular, and as with most popular things that are natural, they were soon depleted. Once they were gone, imitation glass pebbles were used instead. 

Glass has been used in jewelry since ancient Roman and Egyptian times and even before, but it was taken to a new level by J. Strasser, an 18th century German jeweler who invented a flint glass with a high lead content that equalled the glitter and grandeur of diamonds. If you are lucky enough to find true Strass stones today, grab them and hang on. They are the cream of the crop of antique costume jewelry.

By 1891, Swarovski revolutionized the world of costume jewelry with his invention of a new machine that could mechanically cut and facet glass. This allowed glass gemstones to be manufactured in a fraction of the time that it had previously taken cutters to do it by hand. Swarovski also came up with the idea to take a cue from the foil backed stones of the late 1700s and plate the backs of the crystals with silver or gold to increase their sparkle.

It is very important not to get foil backed stones wet or you can ruin them, so do not wash your Strass or rhinestone jewelry. Just polish with a soft cloth to keep it beautiful. If it has become very oily from touching, then spray some glass cleaner onto a soft cloth, not directly on the stones, and gently wipe away the oil making sure to dry the jewels thoroughly.

Today, Swarovski crystals dominate the world of costume jewelry, but glass jewelry is also promoted under the name of sea glass. Sea glass jewelry can be very beautiful in a soft, delicate way, but if you want serious vintage sparkle that rivals a diamond, then rhinestones are for you. Vintage rhinestone jewelry by famous name makers such as Weiss or Eisenberg can generate premium prices, but there are still bargains to be found which is what makes hunting for it so much fun. It is hard to resist all that glitter.

Trends and Treasures

A very beautiful white jade and antique Chinese enamel necklace.

http://forgottenluxury.com/products/white-jade-enamel-bead-necklace

Yesterday I went to the International Gem and Jewelry Show looking for bargains, things to wish for, and to spot upcoming trends. From my years of going to gem and jewelry shows, I have found that items being promoted at the show usually become the trend within the next three to six months.  This show featured a lot of fabulous large rings, much more ornate that I have seen in years. There were amazing mogul style creations of multiple gemstones or single stones surrounded by stones of an alternate color. Most were made of silver, or an alloy of gold and silver which I was told was a technique used by ancient Egyptian jewelry makers.

Another trend was enamel jewelry. I have been a big fan of enamel jewelry for a long time, being drawn to the exquisite enamel work of antique Chinese jewelry. The current enameled jewelry does not have the same delicacy of the antique pieces but it is still very attractive. I was able to snap up a few fabulous antique enamel beads.

At this show there was no particular trend toward one featured gemstone. At a past show I purchased a gemstone that was just being introduced at $1.00 per carat. I bought a one hundred carat stone. Two shows later that same stone had increased to become over $100 per carat, because of its size. Only small gemstones were left available. The one hundred carat stone made a fabulous pendant. Taking a chance on a newly introduced gemstone can be a gamble, but it can be a gamble that definitely pays off - and if you love it  you will always have a winner.

Outrageously large baroque pearls were everywhere at prices from moderate to very high. One can only cringe at what the mollusk must go through to produce such huge pearls.

Because gold prices are still very high, the trend toward using silver, silver alloy and gold plated bronze metals is likely to continue - and don’t be surprised if you see a lot of enamel and a continuation of large size jewelry for this year’s holiday season.