Carved Bakelite and diamond ‘La Ménagerie Magnétique’ Zebra brooch, by Daniel Brush, 2004
New York-based Brush is an enigmatic figure with an obsessive touch. Deeply fascinated by ancient craft techniques, Brush spends years learning them and fusing them into his own contemporary designs. Poor materials also fascinate and Brush is a master of working seriously precious gems into them, as this carved Bakelite and diamond brooch attests.
Aquamarine and ruby Belt necklace, by Paul Flato for Verdura, 1935
By the 1930s, the rise of Hollywood society demanded an American high jewellery style of its own. With hIs Disney-like design sensibility, underpinned by a thorough understanding of jewellery technique and engineering, Paul Flato’s artfully witty ‘conversation pieces’ fitted the bill. The Belt necklace was fittingly commissioned for Linda Lee Porter, the gregarious spouse of legendary composer Cole.
Art Deco cream and black enamel vanity case, by Gérard Sandoz, Paris, 1927
A dedicated Modernist, Sandoz trained as a goldsmith in Paris, continuing in the family tradition of jewellery- and watchmaking. His insatiable taste for the era he grew up in manifested in a love of jazz, cinema and interior design. His sublime graphic style reflects the other milieu in which he excelled: poster design.
Rock crystal and diamond ‘Bibendum’ bracelet by Suzanne Belperron, 1930s
The contemporary jeweller’s jeweller, Belperron is a fabled figure in 20th-century jewellery design. Her instinct for industrial forms and eye for pure materials with a natural opulence made her designs the cream of avant-garde design in her time. They remain supremely relevant and collectible today.
Rock crystal, black onyx and diamond ‘Orange Tree’ brooch, by Cartier, 1926
Abstract expressions of typical fine jewellery themes, such as flora and fauna, emerged in the mid-1920s. This stark black and white depiction of an orange tree is a prime example of that movement and of Cartier’s sublime creative vision. Designed as a brooch-cum-cloche pin, the tree is rooted in an octagonal shaped rock crystal jardinière, complete with black onyx handles.
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Audemars Piguet and Kaws have created the Royal Oak Concept watch we didn't know we neededThe Audemars Piguet x Kaws Royal Oak Concept Tourbillon 'Companion' is slick wrist-worn art
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A friendly rivalry coloured by kinship: Wendy Maruyama and Tom Loeser on their two-artist show'I wanted to make furniture, just not traditional furniture, but weird furniture,' says Wendy Maruyama on ‘Colorama’, a two-artist show presented at design gallery Superhouse (until 11 January 2025)
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Tranquil and secluded, Lemaire’s new Tokyo flagship exudes a sense of homeIn Tokyo’s Ebisu neighbourhood, Lemaire’s tranquil new store sees the French brand take over a former 1960s home. Co-artistic directors Christophe Lemaire and Sarah-Linh Tran tell Wallpaper* more
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Shinola’s Elijah McCoy pocket watch pays homage to the pioneering locomotive engineerShinola continues its Great American series with the Elijah McCoy Mechanic 45mm pocket watch
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Lugano’s versatile high jewellery pieces are too good to save for special occasionsCalifornian brand Lugano embraces unexpected materials and cool design codes in its informal high jewellery
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‘Given hip-hop’s roots in New York, the chance to tell this story in this city is very special’The American Museum of Natural History plays a blinder with ‘Ice Cold: An Exhibition of Hip-Hop Jewelry’, a cultural trip through jewellery design
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The American watch brands to know nowFrom Autodromo to JN Shapiro, American watch brands are having a moment
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Bernard James’ flora-inspired diamonds mark ten years of Dover Street Market New YorkBernard James’ jewellerydebuting at Dover Street Market features rings, earrings and necklaces inspired by blossoming flora
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Seaman Schepps reveals offbeat new jewellery and homewareSeaman Schepps celebrates 120 years of eclectic design codes and rare stones in a beautiful new jewellery collection
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FoundRae’s Dallas, Texas residency gains steamJewellery label FoundRae’s Dallas pop-up at The Conservatory in Highland Park Village combines medallions, charms and homeware alongside vintage objects
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Reed Krakoff ushers John Hardy jewellery into a new era, and refreshes its New York storeThe ‘Spear’ jewellery collection riffs on John Hardy’s signature handwoven chain, while the boutique nods to the brand’s Balinese heritage
