What’s old is new again: The Great Gatsby effect

by charlene_voisin | October 1, 2013 9:00 am

By Jennifer Hopf

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Vintage has once again become vogue, with the spotlight shining even brighter on art deco after the success of Baz Luhrmann’s adaptation of The Great Gatsby. The dazzling jewels prominent throughout the film were crafted by none other than Tiffany & Co., and embody all that is whimsical and decadent about that era.

The Roaring Twenties was a time when jazz reigned, women’s rights flourished, money flowed, and daring fashions emerged. They also marked the debut of art deco, its bold, bright extravagance revived with the release of this movie adaptation of an iconic novel.

“I think every generation just wakes up and falls in love with deco. It happens every 20 years,” says Cynthia Findlay, owner and operator of Cynthia Findlay Antiques in Toronto.

While Findlay offers her own Great Gatsby collection of authentic vintage pieces, she is not entirely convinced of the film’s influence on the varied personalities and unique tastes of her clientele. She does believe, however, it helps make people aware of exquisite design and architecture’s impact on jewellery.

Defining deco

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The one-off jewellery Tiffany created for Gatsby, along with the use of its original archival pieces, encapsulate the unapologetic luxury of the period. They also inspired a spin-off collection that is more accessible to customers who don’t necessarily have an old-money inheritance to draw from, but still crave the lines, colours, and glamour of art deco designs.

However, Tiffany wasn’t the only company to jump on the Gatsby bandwagon. Tacori’s re-imagined contribution to the vintage resurgence is based on the workmanship of the past. “We still do things the old-fashioned way,” says Michelle Adorjan Chila, the company’s senior vice-president of marketing and public relations. “Designs are done by hand and there is close attention to detail, as well as an intense final inspection process. This creates heirloom elegance in a modern design.”

In terms of authentic vintage pieces, it’s the materials and the methods that give them their unique esthetic: the precious metals, the enameling, the colour combinations. “It’s the use of materials—a feminine use, but very architectural,” Findlay says. “You’re using old-cut diamonds so they really scintillate. And they were cut [to be seen by kerosene light], so they have a different type of shine than today’s modern brilliant cut.”

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Look closely at an authentic piece and its daintiness is the first thing you notice. Milgrain and filigree are typical of the era, along with hand engraving. There is a level of craftsmanship many feel is unparalleled in today’s market.

“These original pieces are just going to be harder and harder to find,” says Alanna Van Rijk of Van Rijk Jewellers in Toronto. “Today, most things are made by machines as opposed to being handmade. In those days, a single piece would take months to make, whereas now they are made en mass.”

However, this is not to say originality comes without its downfalls. Older pieces can be tough to work on—shanks can be thinned out or stones are loose—and they may sparkle less, as a lot of vintage pieces use only single-faceted diamonds.

“It just takes a little bit more care and you really need to be a master jeweller to do repairs on vintage pieces,” says Zaven Ghanimian, marketing director for Simon G.

Vintage appreciation: A nod to glitz and glamour

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While consumers want jewellery reminiscent of art deco’s euphoria, they also crave something that speaks to their individual style.

Chila believes clients are looking for timeless designs that are wearable, while also marking a special occasion. “Whether it’s the perfect pair of diamond earrings that are given as an exceptional gift or a statement cocktail ring the customer is buying for herself, people want pieces that uniquely express and celebrate their good taste.”

Findlay recognizes there is a lot of repurposing, such as turning an antique brooch into a pendant. From Steampunk fashion enthusiasts to wealthy foreigners to working women, Findlay sees her customers looking to fill in gaps with favourite colours and stones, while also embracing the vintage motif.

Here are some Gatsby-inspired breakout trends channelling the creativity and extravagance of the 1920s:

Hair ornaments

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In the 1920s, a flapper could be easily spotted at a speakeasy by her signature aigrette, a headpiece adorned with jewels and feathers. Perhaps the standout piece from the film was the one worn by Daisy, a recreation based on drawings from Tiffany’s archives. There is already a re-emergence of ornate headpieces, and not just at weddings, but for everyday wear as well.

Strong lines, bold colours

From cocktail rings to pendants, Jazz Age-jewels evoke the daring spirit of an exuberant generation through brightly coloured gemstones and prominent geometric shapes. These intricate patterns are surfacing again, as jewellers re-interpret the trend with symbolism and dazzling colours.

Long, layered strands

Ropes of pearls and tassel-ended sautoirs are classic art deco looks made famous by flappers and are now making their way back into the mainstream. The experts at Tiffany believe long pearl tassel necklaces are one of the more significant trends inspired by Gatsby, notably when they are combined with other complementary pieces.

The draw to deco

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Art deco defined an era, immortalized by unique designs and true craftsmanship. “The beauty with art deco jewellery is that it has a modern feel mixed with a vintage flair,” says Van Rijk, adding this revered style has a lot of influence in the world of jewellery.

Findlay feels the same way, predicting the trend’s lasting popularity based on simple lines with a contemporary esthetic—a testament to fine workmanship. And, of course, when the piece is authentic, it always holds its value, since it is original and one-of-a-kind.

“If people are purchasing genuine jewellery from the past, there is a certain romanticism in imagining the women who wore those jewels, the fabulous lives they led, and the hidden stories that jewellery can tell,” Chila says.

Then there are modern customers seeking contemporary jewellery that still conjures feelings of nostalgia with recreations of the glamorous statement pieces of the ’20s. Designers continually refresh the trend with new and exciting perspectives.

Ghanimian says Simon G is capitalizing on the trend, incorporating styles influenced by looks from decades past, such as scrollwork, marquise shapes, and accented designs, while still using modern techniques to ensure a higher standard of quality.

It is important to maintain that feeling of originality with pieces not so off-the-shelf, he says. “It’s very fashionable right now to be organic, to be natural, and not so commercialized. It’s all about having fashion with a sense of economics.”

You could say today’s jewellery designers are ‘putting on the Ritz.’

Jennifer Hopf is a copywriting specialist and freelance writer based in Toronto. A journalism graduate from Durham College, she is now focused on feature writing for magazines, with a passion for the jewellery and luxury industry. She is also savvy in social media and digital content marketing, with a background in retail sales.

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