Art Deco Diamond, Coral, Rock Crystal, and Onyx Bracelet by Janesich, Paris, circa 1925
Art Deco Diamond, Coral, Rock Crystal, and Onyx Bracelet by Janesich, Paris, circa 1925
A flexible bracelet composed of reeded cylinders of coral and frosted rock crystal accented with angled ends set with diamonds, the cylinders spaced by two onyx discs centering a diamond-set disc; mounted in platinum and white gold, with French assay marks, in a fitted box
- Signed with maker’s mark
- Measurements: 8 ½ x ½ inches
Biography
Leopold Janesich founded Janesich in the important cultural center Trieste in 1835. Then a part of the Habsburg Empire, the freeport attracted the Austrian aristocracy who frequented the firm. Eventually, Leopold’s son Giovanni and grandsons Alberto and Giovanni inherited the firm and expanded to Paris and London. After World War I, Trieste became part of Italy and the Janesich style was firmly rooted in the Art Deco. The firm was appointed jeweler to the Houses of Savoy and Aoste. The company remains in the family and operates from the same Trieste shop today.
Significance
By the mid 1920s, the colorful geometric style of the Art Deco period was at its height, exemplified by the fine and decorative arts exhibited at the 1925 Paris Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes. Janesich presented jewelry in the Grand Palais along with the finest French makers. The company was at the height of their design in the 1920s and 1930s, creating lavish objects, clocks, and bejeweled necklaces and bracelets. They worked with the best workshops including Strauss, Allard & Meyer; Charles Profilet; and Alfred Langlois, the same shops that made jewelry for Van Cleef & Arpels, Boucheron, Cartier, and others. From their Paris shop on rue de la Paix, between Tiffany and Cartier, Janesich served royalty and the stylish crème de la crème. They expanded with boutiques in London, Monte Carlo, Biarairitz, Vichy, while maintaining a store in Italy.
This bracelet is an iconic example of Art Deco design. Jewelry in this period was bold, abstract, and relied on geometry and strong color choices. The classic black, white, and red coral color palette accented with diamonds instantly places this piece in the 1920s. The use of diamonds as spacers and on the stepped-backed sides of the carved pieces marks them as secondary to the reeded coral and rock crystal. This was an important design choice signifying the importance of the geometry and color. The reeded beads add texture and make a nod to the gears and machine parts that inspired great Art Deco design. This was a time when artists celebrated the technological advances that allowed them to travel the world.
Designed with a hidden clasp, when worn this bracelet creates an endless loop of wonderfully tactile carved hardstone and diamonds. As beautiful and wearable today as when it was first made, this iconic piece celebrated the most important elements of great Art Deco design and would be an important piece for any collector.
