ADAM'S FINE JEWELLERY & WATCHES Tuesday 17th September 2019

40 T uesday 17 th S eptember 2019 61 A RETRO GOLD BRACELET, CIRCA 1940 The flexible bracelet set with 5 rows of bi-coloured gold faceted links, in 18K gold, length 19.5cm € 1,500 - 2,500 62 A RETRO GEM-SET AND GOLD RING The articulated belt strap design, composed of brick links, the buckle decorated with calibré-cut rubies, to a single-cut diamond clasp, mounted in gold, length 7.7cm, ring size (adjustable) € 300 - 500 The term ‘retro’ in the context of jewellery defines an era of design which reacted to the unprecedented cultural changes as a consequence of WorldWar II. From the austerity experienced during the war, to the economic boom and steadfast reconstruction of new wealth following, no period in history has seen such societal shifts of this magnitude.Thus, each piece of retro jewellery is commu- nicative of complex transitional era, possessing an incomparably distinct air of history that is inimitable today. Adorning oneself in jewellery continued to be in fashion throughout the war, remaining as a valuable source of portable capital in a time of uncertainty, though how this was achieved was changed. Rather than ceasing output, jewellery houses reinterpreted popularised 1930’s designs, renowned for their joie de vivre spirit of creativity.The continuing interest in this motto of ‘live and forget the past’, marked an effort to bring a sense of exaltation into an era marred by war through fashion, in spite of a scarcity of materials. Jewellery design found influence in the avant-garde art deco forms of the 1930’s, while complementarily manipulating the functional aesthetics of industrial design to create boldly geometric and sculptural pieces. Retro bracelets, amongst the most popular jewels of the 1940’s, boldly reflect the unique nature of the era like none other. Van Cleef &Arpel’s honeycomb bracelet of the preceding decade continued to maintain widespread appeal for their wide geometric bands made up of repetitious hexagonal links with bold clasps. Such forms were reinterpreted in the 1940’s by venerable houses such as Cartier. Cartier’s ‘tank’ chains fast became a popular source of influence for bracelet linking, inspired by industry and a broader vision of futurism. The design of the retro gold bracelet presented by Adam’s responds clearly to these infamous precursors. From the wide width of the band, made up of five alternating rows of bi-colour gold links, to the angular light reflective shape of each rectilinear link, it is a truly dynamic 40’s retro piece.