Chinoiserie

With the end of First World War, people were starved for new, innovative designs. Styles ran the gamut across eras and cultures. In the jewelry world, the Art Deco Period saw the emergence of many non-western inspirations, in particular from the Far East. Chinese themes began to influence design houses around 1923, the year of the Paris Opera Chinese Ball. Elegant, fashionable women in both the US and Europe were drawn to the exotic Chinese culture and were enticed by jewels and objects bearing Chinese-influenced imagery and whimsical contrasts of scale. Enamel, coral, onyx and jade were popularized, and designers incorporated several of the materials into one piece to produce striking and original decorative effects.

This pendant, standing about 2 inches in height, is circa mid 1920’s and has French hallmarks but carries a very Eastern theme. It is comprised of a carved jade plaque depicting an oversized bird within foliage, enveloped with diamonds, and fanciful flora in jade, lapis and enamel set in platinum and 18k white gold. While it doesn’t have the linear design typically identified with Art Deco, this piece truly encompasses the 1920’s in the jewelry world with the enticing combination of diamonds, precious stones (specifically jade) and enamel. It combines both Eastern and Western themes to create a carefully crafted work of art.

CIRCA on More Reinvention TV

CIRCA was featured on More Reinvention TV- the segment aired this past weekend on ABC, CBS, NBC, and Fox. Check out how fashion and luxury can be recycled and just how CIRCA works!

A Spelunker

The Rolex Explorer II was first introduced in 1971, as the premier timepiece featuring a complication with the ability to account for a 24-hour time period. This attribute was created for spelunkers, or cave explorers, providing a day/night reference for long periods of time in darkness.

The stainless steel watch photographed here is an Explorer II with original reference number 1655, circa mid to late 1970’s. The oversized bright orange additional hour hand and the 24-hour fixed bezel are the two distinguishing features of this model, giving it the ability to inform its user whether the 3 on the dial is for 3am or 3pm. In this particular example, the second hand has a luminous circle accent that was only added to the models manufactured after the year 1975.

The Explorer II has been erroneously referred to as the “Steve McQueen”. The actor was a fan of the brand and frequently wore Rolexes, but there is no evidence that he ever owned this particular model.

Even with its faux celebrity fan, The Explorer II was not a particularly popular watch during its production run from 1971 to 1985. Many critics at the time complained that the dial was chaotic, even to the extent of being illegible. Today, however, an Explorer II of this vintage is one of the most popular vintage sport Rolexes. The "Orange Hand" Explorer II design is considered pure 1970s retro. 

To capitalize on this popularity, this year at BASELWORLD in Switzerland, Rolex released an updated Explorer II with an upgraded movement and a significantly larger display.

Images: Spelunkers in the cave, Courtesy: http://oilismastery.blogspot.com/2009_07_01_archive.html

Sector Watches Welcomes Kris Humphries

Phil Schwetz, president of Sector USA and CIRCA CEO Chris Del Gatto announced last night that NBA Star Kris Humphries is the newest spokesperson for Sector watches. Sector is a global watch brand that combines the performance of a sports watch with chic Italian design. Sector was founded almost forty years ago in Milan, Italy, and in May of this year it became the first brand in the newly-created CIRCA Brands Division. For more information, visit the Sector Facebook page.

No Ugly Duckling

The Art Nouveau period (1890s - 1910) produced some of the most evocative pieces in the history of jewelry design. Central to the movement was an embrace of romanticism, naturalism and femininity. The use of flowing, curvilinear lines with attention to balance and symmetry is of paramount importance within Art Nouveau pieces – both in jewelry and other forms of art.

This charming brooch is easily identifiable as an Art Nouveau piece and displays the graceful lines and symmetry of two mirrored swans amidst green springtime reeds. The piece consists of delicate enamel work accented with a diamond at its heart. As a feminine symbol, the swan represents beauty, intuition and gracefulness. From a purely aesthetic standpoint, the contours of the swan’s neck and body could not be more suited to the stylistic preferences of Art Nouveau designers. The swan-themed wallpaper shown at right is by English artist and illustrator Walter Crane (1845–1915), and is another example of the fondness for swan imagery within Art Nouveau design.

Image: Swan-themed wallpaper by Walter Crane; Courtesy: pininterest.com.

Farewell to Loulou

New York was gorgeously warm and sunny today, but I chose to wear my favorite Yves St Laurent black dress to mark the passing of Loulou de la Falaise. Although she was always closely associated with YSL as his muse and inspiration, she had a style all her own.

Born to aristocratic parents who were active in the fashion and arts scene, Loulou fell into the haute couture and design world naturally; first modeling for American Vogue and eventually designing jewelry and accessories for YSL. In fact, as a style icon in the heydays of YSL, it is fitting that she was a trail blazer in the brave new world of television marketing. Before many other designers, Loulou had already marketed her costume jewelry on HSN!

Her innate sense of color and her ability to put different forms together made her chic and glamorous, and it was never contrived. And that may be her greatest asset – she was her own stylist and influenced women internationally. Merci Loulou.

Images: LouLou de la Falaise with designer, Yves Saint Laurent, Courtesy: Vogue. YSL Arty Rings designed by Loulou de la Falaise, Courtesy: YSL.com.


In the Loupe is authored by CIRCA’s resident trendspotter and style maven. She’s traveled the world, dabbling in high finance, haute cuisine, and fine art at one of the world’s leading auction houses, before finding her true calling in the world of priceless gems. The result is a genuine global luxury connoisseur, with a knowledge and appreciation of beauty, quality and true style. She is one of the industry’s foremost experts on the valuation of fine gems and jewelry, and is now happy to share her discerning eye and impeccable taste to help you look and feel fabulous!

Fashion Over Function

Although women try to balance function with style when we accessorize, function seems to have won out in the purse and handbag category. This is especially evident when compared with the way women used to carry their necessities in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. For an elegant lady of that period, every accessory was part of her ensemble and had to measure up to the standard of the jewelry that she wore. In fact, in many cases a handbag, coin purse, compact or lipstick case was itself capable of being the center of attention.

This is obviously the case with this marvelous little ‘coin purse’ circa 1890’s. It is just 3 inches wide and is made entirely of 18k gold with an embossed clasp frame adorned with old mine cut diamonds and both faceted and cabochon sapphires. Bejeweled evening bags were typical of this period, and the swirly design surrounding the gems on this particular bag hints to the developing Art Nouveau movement. It also serves as a precursor to the approaching Art Deco period, when highly embellished evening bags really took off. This purse has the unusual characteristic of a small hook on the back. The hook leads us to believe that it may have been attached to a larger bag which one could only assume would have been just as adorned and beautiful as its smaller companion. This tiny satchel was clearly designed to make a statement that the woman who used it was magnificent down to her smallest accoutrements.

Webb on the Fly: Countdown to the Marathon

The New York City Marathon is here! This is my third consecutive marathon in the greatest city on earth. I don’t know what’s more of a challenge, training for the race or the actual event itself?

When I started three years ago, I had always wanted to do a marathon but didn’t think I could run that far. You know the old adage, “You have to walk before you can run?” Well, you have to walk before you can run a marathon too. The way it happened was kismet. I got an SOS fundraising call from Harlem United, one of the most effective and progressive HIV/ AIDS service providers in the country, to join their team. Within hours of that phone call, I was seated, totally by chance, next to a woman at dinner that night who had just run her 9th marathon.

A light bulb went on when this veteran runner, who came to the sport in her 30’s, told me about the James Galloway run/walk training method – where – intelligently- you walk one minute for every four minutes you run. So, like a tortoise, rather than a hare, I slowly but surely trained, entered and then broke the five-hour mark.

It really is an experience of a lifetime to enter the New York City Marathon. It sounds corny, but it’s true, it’s up there with seeing a dream destination like Paris for the first time, or giving birth to a child, which shows you what you’re made of physically. The crowd is amazing, as far as your eye can see, there are people from all over the world surrounding you, every one of them moving in the same direction toward a single goal.


I had the very good fortune in the last few months that my position as fashion director of Sector watches (distributed by CIRCA) took me to Milan, Barcelona, and Geneva. In keeping with my training regiment, my sneakers, Sector Expander watch and heart rate monitor traveled with me. I found that European cities are spectacular to run though because of the architecture, but tricky to navigate because of winding roads and bumpy streets that can cripple a rubber-necking runner.

Milan has a beautiful park in the walls of an old castle that was gorgeous to run through. Chris and I stayed at the Bulgari Hotel which was just a nice trot over the cobble stone streets of the luxury shopping district past the Cathedrial Duomo to the Castello Sofrzesco. The hotel gym was perfect to unwind in after a run with its full-on marble Turkish steam room.

Barcelona, besides being surprisingly great in every way from food to shopping to atmosphere to architecture, is also a surprisingly great city for runners. An early morning sprint from the Hotel Omm, up the Pasejo de Gaia, in the shadows of two magnificent Gaudi buildings was an awesome way to start the day. A quick dip in the hotel’s black granite lap pool knocked out all the kinks from pounding on the roads.

Lake Geneva is dotted with runners at any given time of the day or night. The fountain in that gushes 250 feet in the air like a geyser is mesmerizing. The banks of the river are paved with concrete, so even though it’s a straight shot for as long as you’d like to go, it can be tough on your knees as a runner, but the view is worth it.

In the two last months, I’ve logged close to 80 miles on my sneakers. According to my Sector Expander watch, which gives my heart rate for a ten minute mile (around 155 bpm’s), I’ve happily burned nearly half a million calories (472,000 to be exact). I hope and I pray I’m ready for race day!

A Big THANKS to the team at Sector for sponsoring me and donating to the important work they do at Harlem United. Good luck to all the marathoners this Sunday. I’ll see you at the finish line!

Cheers,
Veronica

CIRCA wishes Veronica and all of her fellow runners best of luck in the 42nd annual New York City Marathon this Sunday!

For more on Veronica’s marathon preparation: NY One, Vogue.com, Fox 5 Morning Show

Images: Lake Geneva; Courtesy: Edie Boschen

Exception to the Rule

As we have discussed in previous posts, the most identifiable characteristic of Edwardian jewelry (1901-1920) is its lace-like garland style. This effect is created in delicate filigree of white diamonds and platinum. There are some exceptions to this rule, however, like this stunning Edwardian pin, circa 1910. Although small in stature - standing at just an inch and a half in height – this piece has more heft than its delicate Edwardian counterparts. The garland style is captured in the bow, but the geometric pattern of the wreath itself seems to be an early hint at the Art Deco movement which followed just a short time later (1918-1938). The wreath consists of millegrain-set diamonds surrounding a graduated line of faceted onyx. The use of onyx is also something that is more recognizably Art Deco, but around 1910 the combination of black and white became the craze of the moment. Despite the mixing of styles, the overriding garland theme makes this identifiable as an Edwardian piece.