Mid-century Bracelet. Collection Archive.
Everyone has their own preference for favourite jewellery designers and makers. Popular European couture jewellery designers such as Christian Dior, Chanel and YSL are having a moment. However, authenticity and price points here can be challenging. So, I’m proposing a few other 20th-century Jewellery names accessible in today’s marketplace, that are just as superior in quality and design.
Pieces by the following vintage jewellery designers have a strong global circulation, they are available at many different price points and can be found everywhere from the weekend vintage flea market to the high-end antique show.
Vintage Trifari Jewellery
A long-standing favourite with global vintage costume jewellery collectors, Trifari Jewellery covers a full spectrum of diverse styles and price points. From the 1930s to the mid-1960s, Italian-born chief designer, Alfred Philippe, who had previously designed for Van Cleef and Arpels, was instrumental in producing jewellery designs that integrated beautifully with contemporary clothing trends.
Vintage Kenneth Jay Lane (KJL) Jewellery
In the mid-1950s Kenneth Jay Lane (KJL) originally worked in the art department at Vogue, under the legendary Editor, Diana Vreeland. She featured his work in the magazine and eventually, he went on to design shoes for Dior and Jewellery for Scaasi. After such a prestigious start, Lane established his own costume jewellery company, KJL in 1963, which ran until the late 1990s. KJL designs are still popular today and highly sought after by collectors and fashion enthusiasts all over the world.
A relatively new collecting field at HFV, Napier jewellery was synonymous with enabling a woman’s expression of style. According to Judith Miller, author of Costume Jewellery, it was during the 1950s and 60s when Napier produced a wide variety of chunky gilt metal charm bracelets, the Napier label really took off. Other popular styles by Napier included gilt mesh and silver-toned jewellery.
Vintage 90s Napier Dolphin Brooch (HFV Archive)
Vintage Napier Necklace
View the full HFV curated vintage Napier jewellery edit here.
In my experience, vintage jewellery pieces by iconic designers such as Trifari, Kenneth Jay Lane and Napier are aways timelessly elegant, offer unique characteristics, with superior craftsmanship. All the pieces offered here by HFV are carefully curated to integrate with today's contemporary clothing trends in mind. If there's a particular style of piece you're seeking and you would like some guidance, please send an email to me at hester@curatedvintagejewellery.com and I will be in touch.
Thank you for visiting!