Kaleidoscope effect

Flower brooch. Green Rhinestone, gold tone. 1950s. Hollycraft vintage costume jewellery

Hollycraft vintage costume jewellery (1939-1972)
The history of Hollycraft began in 1939 in New York, when an Armenian immigrant Joseph Chorbajian founded a “The Hollywood Jewelry Manufacturing Company”. The talent and oriental temperament of Joseph allowed him to invent unusually bright ornaments, which the customers liked very much.
The company gradually increased production. At the same time, the circulation of jewelry was still quite limited. In 1939, Archie Chorbajian and Jack Hazard, who had previously worked at CORO, joined the company and brought a lot of ideas.
Unfortunately, the outbreak of the Second World War forced to suspend the family business. A new stage of development began after the end of the war. To begin with, the company had to change its name in 1953. Not to be confused with another famous company – Joseph of Hollywood, Hollywood Jewelry Mfg Co. became Hollycraft.
The peak of its popularity Hollycraft reached in the 1950s. Especially popular became Christmas jewelry collection, as well as charming floral pieces implemented in sets of bracelet, clips, necklace and brooch.
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Brooch in the form of a horse’s head. Hand bent and corrugated gold. 1980. width 4.5 cm £ 100-150 LB. Hermes Paris vintage costume jewellery

Hermes Paris vintage costume jewellery
French businessman Thierry Hermes (1801-1878) was the founder of high fashion brand Hermes International.
Born in Germany in 1801, he moved to France in 1821. He founded his workshop for the manufacture of leather goods in 1837. Originally, he produced the highest quality saddles, shoes, household items, scarves and bags, as well as ornaments.
The full name of the company was Hermès International S.A. Since 1950, the company’s logo has been a horse-drawn carriage. Today we know “Hermes” mainly for its silk scarves, ties and exclusive bags and suitcases. Noteworthy, everything produced by Hermes – characterized by a stylish design, quality and high craftsmanship.
One of the charms of Hermes is the company’s individual approach to each design. Each clock and jewelry gets an injection of playful and somehow philosophically French energy. Fortunately, Hermès designers manage to maintain practicality, form and a healthy dose of indulgence in relation to whims in an ideal balance.
Since then, the company has grown, embracing new niches – luxury goods and clothing of mass production – multiplying its experience in an impeccable production and without losing its individuality.
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Stunning rare brooch depicting a girl and grapes. Gold 14 carat, enamel. 1906. £ 330-365 CGPC. Gorham Manufacturing Company silver jewelry

Gorham Manufacturing Company silver jewelry
Founded in Providence, Rhode Island, in 1831 by Jabez Gorham, Gorham Manufacturing Company was the largest manufacturer of silverware in the United States in the 19th century. Chief designer William Christmas Godman (December 25, 1839 – December 7, 1921) released a line of jewelry made by hand. This jewellery combined free art-nouveau lines with the ornate decor in the spirit of the Arts and Crafts movement.
Traditionally, for creating their hand-hammered and handmade jewelry decorations masters used silver, partially covered with gold, and gold. Also, they used enamel with the inserts of natural and artificial gems – turquoise, amethyst, etc.
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The right choice of precious stones for anniversaries

The right choice of precious stones for anniversaries
The wedding is a wonderful event, and the years lived together and decades mean that the family is strong. Perhaps that’s why the jewelers came up with the idea that a gift is needed not only on the birthday of a new family, but in the future – on every anniversary. The fact that the “invention” belongs precisely to the jewelers can be judged by the names from the twenty-first to the twenty-sixth anniversary.
Whatever it was, now almost every year of the wedding has its name and the corresponding gifts, including – precious stones and the woman has every reason for an annual replenishment of the jewelry box.
The gallery below shows information about which gems correspond to a certain year of married life, which will help to choose the right stone for the anniversary of the wedding.
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Logo brooch, gold tone, rhinestones. 1980s. Yves Saint Laurent YSL costume jewellery

Yves Saint Laurent YSL costume jewellery
Protégé of Christian Dior, Yves Saint Laurent founded his fashion house in 1961 and the following year released the first collection of costume jewelry. The style of his jewelry varies from elegant classic to exotic refined. Bijouterie of the 1970s – theatrical and bright, demonstrates the same purity of shapes and lines as clothing.

According to Laurent, people underestimate the importance of accessories – this is the thing that changes attire. “I like simple dresses and crazy accessories”, once he said. For Saint-Laurent, the perfection of the outfit depended not so much on clothes as on the correct accessory. For his customers couturier hired famous artists, jewelry designers, and haberdashery craftsmen, who could embody his ideas in perfect shape.
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Detail. Brooch-transformer ‘Autumn kiss’. Tompak, gold, agate, amethyst. Mixed technique. 2003. Work by Russian jeweler Vladimir Dmitrievich Khakhalkin

Russian jeweler Vladimir Dmitrievich Khakhalkin
Born in 1946 in Sverdlovsk (Yekaterinburg now), V.D. Khakhalkin is a talented Russian jeweler who has international recognition. Khakhalkin graduated from the Art College of S.P. Diaghilev in 1960, and the Sverdlovsk Art and Vocational School in 1963, specializing in jewelry. Immediately after graduation, since 1963 he worked as a jeweler at the Sverdlovsk plant “Russian gems”. Already in 1964 he created jewelry that was approved for mass production.
Working in 1972 – 1977 as the head artist of the Machine-Building Plant, Vladimir got acquainted with various technologies of metal processing. Traditionally, the artist uses gems and unconventional materials: decorative glass, slag, mirrors, etc. As for metals, he gives preference to the base, and likes to use brass alloy.
He received lots of awards and prizes of the international memorial fund of Karl Faberge: orders of Mikhail Perkhin, Franz Birbaum, and Karl Faberge. Among his titles – “the court jeweler”, “Honorary Jeweler”, and “Master” and “Honorable Jeweler”. Also, he is the owner of the Gold Badge “Jewelry House – Russia”, medals and two cups of Russia.
His works are in collections of museums and private collections in Russia, the Czech Republic, Germany, Sweden, the United States, and other countries.
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Importance of choosing right stone color

Importance of choosing right stone color
The combination of colors and shades in each stone is unique. Colored by impurities of substances, they got into them during formation. When considering the palette of colors, it turned out that there are few purple and blue stones in nature, but many green ones.
Meanwhile, the choice of color by each person for the most part occurs unconsciously. Also, by means of color a person makes it clear to other people what kind of person he is, and how he feels. Noteworthy, the color of stone affects psychology, thoughts and creativity.
According to experts in the field of color and lithotherapy, when searching for a mascot stone and a healer stone, one should also take into account its color. Only then positive influence of stone on a person will be most effective.
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