Georges Braque Bird Procris Vintage Brooch Necklace 18k Gold

Georges Braque, one of the most acclaimed visual artists, was mostly famed as a founder of Cubism alongside with Pablo Picasso. In his final years Braque did many birds in flight studies. Nowadays, they have been sold via auctions.

In the 1960s, Braque teamed up with Baron Heger de Lowenfeld, a gem cutter and entrepreneur. Together they produced Braque's only jewelry collection called “Bijoux De Braque”. One of the themes for the Braque's jewels was flying birds. They symbolize Space and Time and appeared on many of his paintings.

Braque had a concept of beauty expressed through volume, weight and subjective impression. The whole idea of making jewelry for him was translating his artworks into three dimensional wearable sculptures. He used the themes from his graphic works and lithographs for the jewelry visuals. The pieces were massively critically acclaimed. For instance, the first exhibit called ‘One hundred jewels by Georges Braque’ gathered over 50,000 visitors. The French state purchased eleven pieces at the event.

About vintage jewelry

Vintage jewelry is something we can talk about for days. Since the subject is that big and has multiple aspects to discuss, we’d like to focus on the most important parts of it. So, what is vintage jewelry? Why it's so appealing? And how to buy your vintage jewelry online?

In the industry, different sellers and makers have different opinions on the time period when vintage jewels were made. Here at Nadine Krakov, we consider vintage as anything being made between 50 and 100 years ago. Therefore, all jewelry produced from 1930 to 1980 called vintage.

This time frame is comprised of  Art Deco , Retro and styles Mid-Century

Why do we love vintage jewelry so much? It's all about the quality of making and – of course – the look.

Vintage pieces were mostly made by hand or at least hand-finished while modern jewels are mainly cast. As the lifestyle back in the days was much slower, jewelry makers literally had more time in their hands. Skilled craftsmen honed their craft and reputation. They couldn’t allow a flimsy, poorly done piece to ruin that. Mass market jewelry didn’t exist at that time. Each little detail of a piece was executed thoughtfully and with the high quality in mind.

How to shop your vintage jewelry online? Ask questions about maker's marks and hallmarks, request a video of the piece, and show it to your jeweler. The easiest way to be confident with your purchase is to find a trustworthy, reputable seller. And if you are happened to be in Beverly Hills area, just google “vintage jewelry near me”, find Nadine Krakov Collection store and stop by for a good chat with a sip of champagne.

About enamel jewelry

Enamel jewelry is beloved for its glossy, colorful appearance. Enamel has been used in jewelry making since the 1200s in China and Persia. It was flourishing again during the Art Nouveau era and had its comeback in the 1970s.

Multiple iconic pieces, such as Panthere De Cartier, Webb Kingdom Collection or the VCA pieces from 1920s are still highly sought after. Today enamel is also widely used in jewelry design.

Enamel is a specifically formulated glass powder, or a paste applied to a metal. After the application it gets heated up to 950°C.

Here are some of the most popular enameling techniques in jewelry making:

–  Plique-a-Jour is the most difficult among enameling techniques. Plique-a-Jour was especially popular among such the Art Nouveau artist as  Rene Lalique,  Louis Comfort Tiffany and  Peter Carl Faberge. The name can be translated from French as “to let light in”. The method allows light to go through the piece and make it glow. It's done by applying the enamel powder in between of the little metal sections while using the foil to hold it together. After the enamel solidifies, the foil gets removed. This process creates a stained-glass appearance with delicate colors and lights coming from within.

– Cloisonné – or hard enamel – is done by layering enamel past the metal line. But first the design is stamped into a metal base. Then it gets polished down to the level of the metal. Due to the lengthier process, Cloisonné is considered more durable and higher quality.

– Meenakari -this technique begins with the design being engraved onto to the metal. Then the enamel is filling the etchings. To achieve a vibrant color that Meenakari jewelry is famous for, the piece is polished with organic acids. A layer of the transparent enamel finalizes the process.

We have a great selection of enamel jewelry online, or you can see it in person while visiting our store in Beverly Hills.