The Brooch as Messenger

Labor Day has come and gone. For most of us this symbolizes the end of Summer and the beginning of Fall. Cooler weather is coming and our favorite light fabrics of Summer will give way to jackets and suits, which brings me to this week’s fashion trend.

The brooch is one of the most interesting and often most versatile pieces of jewelry. This is not my hottest fashion trend to send you (read “Off the Cuff” for one), but there are still a large number of women who wear suits and dresses to work each day and there is no better way to add style and self expression than with a brooch to a collar, lapel or shoulder. Brooches are versatile because neckline or sleeve length of each outfit need not be taken into consideration, which is not the case with bracelets or necklaces. One famous lover of brooches is Madeleine Albright, Former US Secretary of State and Founder, The Albright Group LLC. She said that she used pins as a diplomatic tool; reinforcing the message of the day, choosing among pieces that depict an eagle, dove, balloon or bumble bee to name a few. “Read my Pins: The Madeleine Albright Collection” will go on display this month at the Museum of Art and Design in New York City. There is also a book entitled “Read my Pins: Stories from a Diplomat’s Jewel Box”, written by Ms. Albright, which accompanies the exhibit.

My message today: stop and smell the roses.

On Memorial Day

Thank you to our men and women in uniform.

“Ev’ry heart beats true ‘neath the Red, White and Blue” -George M. Cohan

This beautiful gem-set representation of the American Flag was created by Tiffany  & Company.

One of the greatest names in the history of American Jewelry manufacturing, began as a stationery and fancy good store in 1837. Within ten years, it had expanded to include jewelry and silver items. By the beginning of the nineteenth century, Tiffany & Co. was at the international forefront of design and gemology, thanks to men like Paulding Farnham and George Fredrick Kunz.  The company’s reputation was established for good with the designs of Louis Comfort Tiffany. His enamel jewelry, but also his silver and lamp designs are  still highly regarded and sought after by collectors and scholars worldwide. From the second half of the 19th century through today, Tiffany & Co. continues to be the home of design icons: Jean Schlumberger, Elsa Peretti, Paloma Picasso and Fank Ghery, to name a few.

Look for future briefs that delve deeper into some of the storied  designs of  Tiffany & Company.

Weekend Bonus Brief: For Rock Hounds and Jewelry Lovers

If you are headed out to comb your local flea markets or to a larger antique market this weekend, keep your eyes out for some Scottish agate jewelry.

The silver and agate-inlay jewelry is most commonly found in circular form brooches that were used to hold a shoulder wrap of traditional Highland costume in place or in a miniature dirk, a knife-like shape. Bracelets, bar pins and pendants are also found incorporating hearts, buckles, shields, snakes and knot motifs.

Agate is a variety of quartz, in the same family as amethyst and citrine, but it has a different crystal structure.  While amethyst and citrine have well formed crystals, in agate microscopic individual layer of crystals have arranged themselves in layers with various transparencies of rich earthy tones, bright white and black. This produces fabulous multi-color patterns.

This type of jewelry was a favorite of the Victorians. Queen Victoria loved jewelry: she also loved Scotland, the Highlands and everything Scottish. In 1847 she built Balmoral Castle, where the British Royal Family still spends holidays. Then, as well as today, you could see the Royal Family dressed in Highland costume: jewelry plays an essential part in this costume. You can add a bit of Highland tradition to your jewelry collection. These pieces can regularly be found at antique shops and markets.  They are fabulous to hold scarves, adorn jackets or anywhere that the rich earth tones compliment.

The Brooch

The brooch is one of the most interesting and often most versatile pieces of jewelry. It has fallen out of favor in recent years due to a more overall casual style of dressing, but it should not be over looked. Shown here, Charlize Theron takes the brooch “out of the box” by wearing a pair of Art Deco diamond clips as an unexpected accent on an otherwise unadorned evening dress. In the same fashion, sun dresses, tops and t-shirts can be accented with a brooch or delicate pin placed in an unexpected spot.

There are still a large number of women who wear suits and dresses to work each day and there is no better way to add style and self expression than a brooch to a collar, lapel or shoulder. Brooches are versatile because neckline or sleeve length of each outfit need not be taken into consideration, which is not the case with bracelets or necklaces. Madeleine Albright, Former US Secretary of State and Founder, The Albright Group LLC, is a jewelry collector. She said that she used pins as a diplomatic tool-reinforcing the message of the day, choosing among pieces that depict an eagle, dove, balloon or bumble bee to name a few.