Retro 14k Gold Forstner Tubogas Necklace

About Forstner Brand

Established in 1920 in Irvington, New Jersey, the Forstner jewelry company stands as a timeless American jewelry firm. Although the company produced a few distinct jewelry items, its primary emphasis was on crafting accessories for watches, including chains, straps, and bracelets. In 1939 the company invented a novel strap design called Komfit. This design became a part of the most significant inventions of the 20th century. Forstner’s watch strap had a dynamic buckle and clasp system that could smoothly adjust along the length of the strap and lock securely into place once the needed fit was achieved. This distinctive clasping mechanism permitted precise resizing and continues to be employed in the contemporary Komfit reissue.
As to the jewelry pieces, Forstner was primarily known for snake and gaspipe, or tubogas, motifs.
In 1980, the corporation ceased operations, making all Forstner jewelry rare and highly desirable for collectors. Today, the company is reviving vintage watches that have long been discontinued by introducing precisely executed reissues of historic watches and bracelets.

About Snake Jewelry

Snake jewelry has been around since ancient times. Snake is one of the most diverse mythological symbols. Depending on the culture, snake jewelry meaning varies from a symbol of rebirth and transformation to immortality, healing, and fertility.
Serpent jewelry was extremely popular during Art Nouveau period. Being a part of the nature, snake motif was just right for jewelry design of that time. Many of the diamond or colored gemstone eyed snake rings, wrapped around gold snake bracelets and Art Nouveau necklaces came from that era.
For the next fifty years snake as an element for jewelry making was gradually losing its popularity. It started thriving again in 1960s, when such designers as Cartier, Bulgari and Boucheron started to implement the reptile shape in their collections.
Those collections were approved by many celebrities and jewelry aficionados. Since then, snake jewelry has never gone out of style. Today wearing a snake piece means to wear something cool, powerful, and edgy.

About Retro Jewelry

Retro era in jewelry is dated to the 1930-40s. These ten years brought us a distinct look that has been highly admired through the years.

During World War II the entire world was changing, and the jewelry world was under the influence as well. For instance, the bracelets were often designed by using the geometry of tank treads. In order to confront that brutality, in some of the pieces jewelers reinstated Victorian floral motifs in a romantic and even fragile way. That approach resulted in a vast variety of brooches. Butterflies, flowers, birds, and animals flooded the jewelry market during the retro era.

Some of the materials — such as platinum — were hard to find and even forbidden to be sold. That’s why retro jewelry was often made of yellow, rose and even green gold alloys.

Shortage of the gemstones forced jewelers to use semi-precious stones: citrine, aquamarine, amethyst. Pave technique allowed one to achieve a big look with little diamonds. Another sign of that time was enamel that was used to accentuate the stone or even replace it.