In Geneva this May, Christie’s sets the tone for its Magnificent Jewels sale with a pair of pieces that feel less like ornaments and more like time capsules. Both date back to 1925, a year that continues to echo through design history, and together they offer a glimpse into the spirit of an era that reshaped modern luxury.
The first comes from Cartier New York, created for a discerning client who brought an extraordinary carved emerald to the maison with a clear request: transform it. The result is a long sautoir strung with pearls and emerald beads, anchored by an 86.71-carat emerald carved with figures of Shiva and Parvati. The piece carries a second life beyond the atelier. Decades later, it appeared in the 1974 film adaptation of The Great Gatsby, worn by Jordan Baker, and became part of a cinematic retelling of the Roaring Twenties. Its presence on screen blurred the line between costume and collectible, embedding it within both jewellery and film history.
Running parallel is a creation by Boucheron, conceived in Paris at a moment when design was shifting toward sharper geometry and stylised motifs. Set with rubies, emeralds, onyx, and diamonds in platinum, the necklace is engineered with flexibility in mind. It can be separated into multiple pieces, allowing it to move between formats, from choker to bracelets. Its rose-inspired pattern traces back to early twentieth-century Paris, where designers like Paul Iribe influenced a generation of visual language that extended from fashion into jewellery.
Both works will appear at the Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues, not simply as lots for sale, but as markers of a period when craftsmanship, culture, and storytelling were closely intertwined.