Watch This - Franck Muller

The watch industry is one steeped in tradition, and newcomers are rarely welcomed into its higher ranks. Respect and family name mean everything, presenting a barrier for aspiring, young talent. Franck Muller is a relative newcomer who, through his innovation and craftsmanship, proved to be the exception to this rule. He created the first Muller watch in 1983 and the half-Swiss, half-Italian watchmaker never looked back.

After achieving his unprecedented success, Muller took his love of watches to the next level in 1998, when he opened Franck Muller Watchland just outside of Geneva. Watchland is a space open to the public that memorializes the history and the art of watch making. It is homage to the great watchmakers, and is often described as the Walt Disney World of timepieces.

Although Franck Muller himself is no longer affiliated with his namesake company, his tradition certainly lives on. Franck Muller watches are known for their large faces, oversized numbers, and tonneau shape, with many complications and playful accents. As the self proclaimed “Master of Complications”, Franck Muller watches continue to live up to their name with mechanical breakthroughs. One of their most innovative designs is the “Crazy Hours” watch, which is highly sought-after among collectors. The numbers on the face of the Crazy Hours watch are out of order, and when the hour changes, the watch hand jumps to the appropriate spot on the dial. Innovations like this are what keep watch fanatics wanting more.

We’ve purchased many Franck Muller watches in the past, and always look forward to people who sell his pieces. This particular watch is called the “Master Banker” and displays three time zones, which makes it perfect for a regular traveler. It was originally created so that businessmen would know the time in the world’s major stock markets – London, New York and Tokyo. In true Franck Muller tradition, the three time zones are operated by one single movement - a revolutionary feat in the world of watches. Another Franck Muller success!

In Search of Verdura

Fulco Santostefano della Cerda, also known as the Duke of Verdura, was born in Palermo in 1898. His early life was spent in Italy, where he gained his title in 1923, inherited his estate, and settled into a charmed playboy existence. It was a chance meeting with Coco Chanel shortly thereafter that changed the course of his life.

Verdura was hired by Chanel as a textile designer, but soon began designing costume and precious jewelry. His bold, colorful pieces meshed well with the tastes of Chanel, who didn’t care for delicate jewelry. It was during this time that he created his signature Maltese Cross Cuff bracelets, often worn by Chanel herself. These cuffs are still popular to this day, and in fact a limited edition of 70 cuffs was recreated recently to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the opening of Verdura’s 5th Avenue boutique in New York in 1939.

Verdura lived a glamorous life filled with celebrities and muses. With friends like Cole Porter and the Duchess of Windsor, and clients that included screen legends Joan Crawford, Katharine Hepburn and Greta Garbo, it’s hard not to be fascinated with his life and work. His playful yet elegant style was revolutionary for its time, combining large precious and semi-precious stones with different colors of gold. This was in sharp contrast to the more conventional look of diamonds set in platinum. This particular ring is called the Three Stone Ring and is composed of one aquamarine set with two iolites. The design is very simple, but uses the vibrant colors that Verdura is famous for. Iolite is not a particularly valuable stone, but because the ring is by Verdura, it holds its value in the secondary market. Without the Verdura signature, it would be worth significantly less. At CIRCA, we’re big fans of Verdura’s aesthetic and are always looking to acquire his pieces.

An Acquired Taste - Egyptian Revival

Egyptian Revival jewelry is highly regarded amongst discerning jewelry collectors, but does not always enjoy commercial success. It consists of everything from snake bracelets to headdresses featuring traditional Egyptian symbols such as scarabs, sphinx and pyramids. There have been several different Egyptian Revival movements throughout the last 2 centuries.

The first spanned from approximately 1860-1870 around the construction of the Suez Canal. The second began when King Tut’s tomb was discovered in 1922. Most recently, the US tour of the treasures of King Tut’s tomb in the mid-1970’s ushered in yet another Egyptian Revival.

This piece is an Egyptian Revival bracelet made of gold, faience and enamel. Faience, popular in the ancient world, is a non-clay based ceramic material with a surface glaze that creates a bright luster of various colors. It is often confused with turquoise because of the color of the glaze used. The bracelet depicts two of the most popular Egyptian themes: the scarab, in the center, flanked by the blue lotus. The sacred scarab, a type of beetle, is an important symbol in Egyptian art and symbolizes the god Khepri, god of the sun. The lotus symbolizes creation. For a society that valued the afterlife and rebirth, these are two very powerful symbols.

The more recent Egyptian Revival in the 1970’s featured mass-produced costume jewelry, in particular necklaces. These tended to be gold plated rather than actual gold, and serve a more decorative purpose. This is a key reason that the age of a piece can be important in determining its value. Contemporary jewelry is often mass-produced, and can be made of less expensive materials made to look like the genuine article.

Statement Jewelry

We recently purchased this fun, colorful gold bracelet from the 1960’s that has quickly become a staff favorite. It is made of two rows of leaves set with rubies and cabochon turquoise stones, a combination that was typical of the time period.

This piece has an open feel to it because it is the articulation of smaller, intricate pieces. Each leaf is carved out individually, giving the piece a 3-dimensional, textural look and feel. Bright opaque stones were popular during this time period, and continued to be popular through the 1980’s. When paired with the texture of the bracelet, the colors add a nice touch, creating a dynamic overall effect.

Today, jewelry from the 1950’s-70’s is experiencing a surge in popularity, much like Retro jewelry did in the 1980’s. At a time when “statement” jewelry is en vogue, bold pieces like this one can fetch higher prices in the secondary market.

The Truth About Emeralds

There is something very strong and striking about an emerald that has attracted people to them throughout history. The vibrant green color evokes thoughts of life and eternal youth. Emeralds are the birthstone for the month of May, the time when things are blooming and coming to life. It’s also the anniversary stone for the 20th and 35th years of marriage, symbolizing love and fidelity.

Like most colored stones, emeralds tend to have many fractures, or inclusions, because of the way that they grow. High quality emeralds are the exception, and these are very few and far between, whereas mediocre stones are plentiful. Unlike many other stones, valuing emeralds takes an extreme expertise, as it requires a very refined eye. The color and lack of inclusions are very important, as well as the origin of the stone. Emeralds that come from Colombia, and more specifically the historic Muzo mine, are the most valuable and tend to fetch the highest prices in the secondary market. Emeralds from the Muzo mine have fewer inclusions, giving them good transparency and a type of crystalline brilliance. They also have a deep, rich green color with a trace of blue.

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19th Century Fashion - Hair Combs

We recently purchased this gold hair comb composed of diamonds and baroque pearls in a floral style. This piece is from the mid-1800’s, and is made of silver and topped with gold, a technique typical of the time. The floral motif was very popular, and can be commonly found in pieces from this period; but the addition of the large, irregularly shaped baroque pearls makes this piece stand out.

Combs and other hair adornments were all the rage in the mid-1800’s. Women loved to decorate their hair with brooches, tiaras and all things sparkly. Interestingly, most of the hair ornaments from this era had detachable fixtures so that they could double as a brooch or pendant.

Hair ornaments are no longer a style of the past. They are making a comeback today with the recent trend of headbands, feathers and hair combs embellished with beads and sequins found on young celebrities such as Scarlett Johansson and Leighton Meester.

What's in a Name - Bulgari

We recently purchased this gold Bulgari ring set with a pear shaped sapphire. Bulgari, founded in Rome in 1884, is one of the great international jewelers. They just celebrated their 125th birthday, so it’s only fitting that we feature one of their classic designs!

This particular piece is emblematic of the jewelry house’s flagship tubogas (gas pipe) motif, which is made from two long strips of gold or steel with raised edges wrapped around a base. The pieces form a flexible band with sleek, rounded contours produced without soldering. The tubogas technique was first used by Bulgari in the 1940’s and has come in and out of style somewhat regularly since then. The jewelry’s coiled appearance conjures images of a snake, which is a theme that Bulgari has long embraced. They recently launched their Serpenti collection, which features a new take on the classic snake design and has been very popular.

It would be almost impossible to talk about Bulgari without mentioning Elizabeth Taylor, who has always adorned herself with Bulgari jewels. She wore a Bulgari serpent watch bracelet in the epic film Cleopatra in 1962. Many people credit her with popularizing the look and making it a classic over time.

Looking Forward to a Bright 2010

On behalf of everyone at CIRCA I would like to wish you a Happy New Year. Many are glad to see 2009 go, and are thrilled to welcome the possibilities of 2010. We are encouraged about the future by many conversations we’ve had with both our clients as well as our colleagues in the industry.

Our friends in the retail field are mostly pleased with sales from the end of the year. A strong holiday season is always encouraging and a good sign for the coming year.

All of this economic turmoil has permanently changed the luxury sector, even perhaps redefining the word luxury. CIRCA has always believed that luxury cannot exist without sustainability; we are happy to see this issue, one that we have always championed, becoming crucial to other luxury brands. By buying jewelry every day we are recycling diamonds, gold, estate pieces, watches and more. Not only are our clients recycling their jewelry when they sell it, but they are also able to buy new items and get back into the market, which all helps to keep our economy healthy.

Please stay in touch with us in the New Year. As always, we love to hear from you.

Sincerely,

Chris Del Gatto
Chairman & CEO

Eternally Yours

Nearly every day we purchase eternity bands. An eternity band is a ring with diamonds around the full circle, showing no beginning or end, giving it its name, eternity. No one believed in eternity more than the ancient Egyptians, so it is no surprise that this custom originated with them. There are also early examples of Egyptian rings in which a snake forms the circle of the ring, swallowing its own tail. This theme symbolizes self-renewal and rebirth. Over time the concept of the eternity band has evolved and grown.

Eternity bands represent different things to different people. Some believe it symbolizes eternal love, others believe it symbolizes life. Regardless of what people believe, it would be difficult to argue against the significance of these simple rings in our culture. Many people choose eternity bands as a symbol of marriage, while others chose them to symbolize new life when a baby is born. In both instances, they mark a momentous event in a person’s life.

Eternity bands come in all shapes and sizes. They typically are set with diamonds, but there are many examples which incorporate other gemstones like rubies and sapphires. They are made with different cuts of stones and set in different styles of settings.