Kaleidoscope effect

Matte-finished 18k gold contrasts with pavé diamonds and highly polished gold in this elegant collar necklace. 1980s. American jewelry designer Henry Dunay

American jewelry designer Henry Dunay
There have been several prominent artists in the US whose work has influenced jewelry styles internationally. Among them, in particular, New York designer Henry Dunay, born in New Jersey, May 1, 1935. A Pole by birth, 18-year-old Henry Loniewski took the surname of his mother – Dunay. Already in 1956, a talented designer founded his own company. However, he caught the attention of Europe in the early 1980s, when he was one of the first American designers to take part in the Basel Jewellery Fair (Edelstein, 1989).
His sculpted and “faceted” gold jewelry with textured finishes and brushed gold attracted particular attention. Dunay also introduced a line of woven gold jewelry from women’s necklaces and earrings to men’s bracelets and cufflinks. The design of these decorations included rounded squares, soft knots, “candy swirls” and curls similar to shells. The contrast of textured and smooth finishes gave the decorations a special beauty. Often, Dunay enriched his jewelry designs by decorating them with baguette diamonds, and he succeeded in this technique.
Dunay has become a frequent winner of De Beers Diamond, Diamonds International, Diamonds Today and many, many others. There are more than 50 awards in his list!
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Eggshell, lacquer, enamel and onyx cigarette cases. Art Deco jewelry designer Gerard Sandoz (1902-1995)

Art Deco jewelry designer Gerard Sandoz (1902-1995)
The history of Gerard Sandoz (1902 – 1995) Art Deco jewelry spans a short period of 1920-1934. A contemporary of the 20th century, Gerard Sandoz was an outstanding artist, designer and jeweler. His fate (like the fate of Raymond Templier or Jean Fouquet) was determined by family traditions. Under the strict guidance of his father, goldsmith Gustave-Roger Sandoz, at the age of 18 he took his first steps in the jewelry business.
A member of the Union of Contemporary Artists (the Union des Artistes Moderns), Gerard preferred simple forms and geometric lines. Being colorblind, he preferred to work with contrasting colors such as coral, gold, silver, black lacquer and white eggshell.
A contemporary of the 20th century, Gerard Sandoz took inspiration in the modern Machine Age world, architecture, automobiles, and the Jazz Age aesthetic that formed around him. However, Gerard’s career in the jewelry field was unexpectedly short, because in 1928 his father sold his business to Georges L’Enfant, for whom Gerard worked as art director until 1934.
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Rose flower brooch pin. 18K textured gold, diamonds. 1960s. Gubelin Vintage Fine Jewelry

Gubelin Vintage Fine Jewelry
Switzerland is a country known throughout the world for its banks, cheese, watches and chocolate. And yet, it is there that the most complete collection of precious stones in the world is stored. It all started in the Swiss city of Lucerne in 1854, when Jakob Josef Mauritz Breitschmid opened a watchmaking workshop. Jakob’s apprentice, Eduard Jakob Gübelin, married his daughter Bertha Breitschmied and in 1899 took over the management of the business. It was from this time that the history of the Gübelin brand began, although the official date of foundation of Gübelin is 1854.
An important milestone in the history of the brand was the opening of a jewelry store and a mineralogical laboratory in 1928. It was here that Gübelin’s grandson, Doctor of Mineralogy Eduard Josef Gübelin (1913–2005) began to conduct mineral research that marked the beginning of modern gemology.
Today, the sixth generation of the world famous watch and jewelry brand continues the glorious family tradition based on a deep knowledge of precious stones.
Gübelin jewelry with its hundred-year-old history is in high demand among both jewelry lovers and collectors. Handcrafted using precious metals and natural stones, the jewelry comes in a variety of designs. The labeling traditionally includes the brand’s logo and the purity of gold, or “Gübelin”.
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Vintage Cross pendant. Silver, bronze, turquoise. Chilean jewelry brand Morita Gil

Chilean jewelry brand Morita Gil
The history of the famous Chilean jewelry brand Morita Gil began more than fifty years ago and continues to this day. Born in 1920, a Chilean of Spanish descent, Morita Gil opened her workshop in Providencia, Metropolitana de Santiago region in 1968. Before starting the family business, Morita studied jewelry and natural stone processing while traveling with her sister around the world. She gained her most valuable experience while traveling to Greece, Thailand and Italy.
However, her name will always be associated with the blue color of lapis lazuli, a natural stone from the local deposit. After the hard process of extracting the stone led by her husband engineer, followed meticulous craftsmanship. Thanks to the artistic design and high quality of workmanship, among the fans of her talent were many celebrities whose photographs adorn the walls of the workshop. Among them are Queen Sofia, Lisa Minnelli, Luciano Pavarotti, Margaret Thatcher and even the Pope, for whom Morita Gil and her husband brought a custom-made chalice.
The secret to a successful designer’s longevity is her passion for what she did. Passionate about her work, she trained many craftsmen and lived a long life. Even in her 90s, with the help of her two daughters, she maintained a workshop where she made exclusive lapis lazuli jewelry, trinket boxes, sculptures and even furniture pieces. The company is now run by her daughters Carolina and Isabel Martinez.
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Black Enamel Clear Rhinestones Clip Earrings. 1980s. Signed Jilbari vintage costume jewelry

Signed Jilbari vintage costume jewelry
The history of the Jilbari jewelry brand began in January 1978 in New York, founded by Barry Roberts. The company for the production of high-end costume jewelry “Jilbari Designs, Ltd.” ceased to exist in November 1993. Accordingly, any jewelry of this brand is vintage.
Jilbari designers handcrafted high quality runway and modernist jewelry, mainly clip-on earrings. Jewelry designs and materials are varied – 24-carat gold, silver, enamels, semi-precious stones, as well as metal alloys and rhinestones. Exquisite haute couture and modern designs, high quality materials and craftsmanship have enabled the company to sell its products to major luxury department stores, retail chains and jewelry boutiques in the US and Europe. Among them, in particular, were Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, Bloomingdale’s, Bergdorf Goodman, I Magnum, Bullocks, Harrods and many others.
The maker’s mark on the oval cartouche included “Jilbari” and a copyright mark. Noteworthy that , most pieces were not labeled at all and were sold in branded boxes or with paper tags from boutiques and department stores.
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Fleur-de-lis pendant. Gold tone multicolor glass. 7 cm. 1990s. Signed MVH vintage costume jewelry

Signed MVH vintage costume jewelry
The granddaughter of the last emperor of Austria-Hungary, Michaela von Habsburg gained a reputation as a world famous jewelry designer in the 1980s. In the early 1970s, she left home and moved to Manhattan, New York, where she worked in the fashion industry. In the 1980s, the young designer launched her own Crown Jewels line costume jewelry.
Inspired by her royal history, she made costume jewelry for about ten years, in the 1980s and 90s. Her beautiful brooches, pendants, bracelets and earrings incorporate traditional royal symbols, according to the designer’s “Made by a Princess – Fit for a Queen!” statement. Among them, in particular, the royal lily (Fleur de lis), which traditionally adorns the coat of arms, along with the double-headed eagle. Also, massive crosses, sword and shield designs made of gold-tone metal, or gold plated, with multi-colored rhinestones and Gripoix glass inserts.
The maker’s mark includes the initials MVH (for Michaela von Habsburg), a crown and a copyright sign. MVH jewelry is rare and highly collectible.
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Faux pearl gold tone lady’s portrait porcelain brooch. Vintage Limoges porcelain jewelry

Antique and vintage Limoges porcelain jewelry (1800s-1980s)
Famous all over the world for its impeccable porcelain, Limoges is the name of a city in France, the production of which began in 1770. Classic patterns, ornaments and paintings in the Renaissance style are the hallmark of truly royal luxury.
Brooches, earrings and pendants are one of the types of porcelain products produced in the city of Limoges. Wealthy clients wore such porcelain decorations as medallions, dressed on a jabot or a velvet necklace. Usually people ordered such brooches or pendants with the handpainted miniature portraits depicting people dear to them as talismans or gifts. Brooches with romantic scenes, famous people, or floral motifs were also a great success.
The possession of Limoges porcelain and decorations made from it indicated a certain status and wealth of its owner.
Filigree frame could be made from both gold and diamonds, as well as copper and alloys. Today, Limoges jewelry is highly collectible. Noteworthy, not only local jewelers, but also artists and designers of famous fashion houses created Limoges jewelry. In this case, the maker’s mark alongside with “Limoges” and “Paris” included the designer’s or artist’s mark.
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