Large and In Charge

During the so-called “me” decade of the 1980’s, bigger was better, and jewelry was no exception. Women had asserted themselves in the workplace and fashion reflected this shift, featuring powerful looks with broad shoulders and bright colors. Bold, statement jewelry was created to accessorize this female version of the power suit. Designs were large and abstract, yellow gold was the metal du jour and diamonds were often eschewed in favor of more colorful semi-precious stones.

This cuff and earrings set from Tiffany & Co., circa early 1990’s, is illustrative of this style which lasted through the early 1990’s before a more toned-down naturalism took over later in the decade. At the time, it was fashionable to wear jewelry as a set, so it was common to have matching earrings to go with a necklace or in this case a bracelet. This set is made of 18k gold

with circle-shaped inlays of mother of pearl, onyx, jasper, and lapis lazuli. The beauty of these pieces is in the craftsmanship - the inlaid semi-precious stones show no seam, giving an almost surreal look of polka dots within fabric. This inlay technique is similar to the pietra dura piece we showcased previously. Although these pieces have a more whimsical look, the work is just as meticulous.

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