DON'T MISS A THING

Fashion is fleeting. Every season, new trends appear, and what was recently at the peak of popularity is now becoming an anti-trend. But when it comes to fine jewelry, it is important that it looks relevant for many years. Gemstone expert and founder of Kantor Jewelry, Larion Kantor, tells what classic jewelry remains popular for decades.

Tennis Bracelets

This is a type of flexible bracelet adorned with a strip of medium-sized diamonds or other precious stones of the same size.

It is not known when such jewelry was first produced; one can find them in paintings of the time of Marie Antoinette.

The finest hour of the tennis bracelet came at the end of the last century. The classic jewelry piece received its name and, at the same time, special fame thanks to the famous tennis player Chris Evert. The flexible diamond bracelet from Cartier was not only her favorite piece of jewelry but, as she said, brought her good luck.

In 1987, during the US Open tennis tournament, the bracelet opened and fell into the grass. Chris was so excited about this that she asked the referee to stop the match, which was broadcasted live, and returned to the game only when she found and put on her favorite jewelry again. Later, she admitted in an interview that she could not continue to play without her lucky “tennis” bracelet.

After this, other tennis players adopted the tradition of wearing such bracelets. Then its popularity spread to many celebrities. Among the fans of the tennis bracelet are Jennifer Aniston, Nicole Kidman, Jennifer Lawrence, Kerry Washington, and other stars. As well as Meghan Markle, who wears a bracelet inherited from Princess Diana.

And today, such jewelry is popular not only as a bracelet. The movable link choker, adorned with identical diamonds, is firmly in fashion. The secret of this fine jewelry is simple: it equally fits jeans and a jacket, as well as an evening or even a wedding dress.

Diamond Stud Earrings

Poussettes or stud earrings with one brilliant are the most versatile earring model. The word “poussette” is translated from French as “tramp”. And this is most likely due to the fact that during the Middle Ages, the Catholic Church forbade wearing earrings to pious citizens. It was an accessory of gypsies, pirates, and vagabonds.

But already in the 16th century, such earrings gained popularity as classic women’s jewelry. Then voluminous wide collars came into fashion, and small earrings perfectly complemented the image.

In the 19th century, earrings with an English lock were in greatest demand, and in the 20th, studs won the title of the most common type of earrings.

Today, diamond studs are a favorite piece of jewelry for many women. They are suitable for young girls and ladies of all ages, perfectly combined with both casual wear and evening dress.

Studs with one diamond are considered to be the classical variant that every socialite has in her collection. 

Solitaire Diamond Rings

Solitaire in Latin means “lonely.” This is a classic ring with one large gemstone.

This classic fine jewelry owes its popularity to De Beers. Until the 19th century, only very noble and wealthy people could afford diamonds. But in 1870, a large diamond deposit was found in Africa, and these gemstones became more accessible. For the next 50 years, the De Beers, which was a monopolist, successfully provided the world with diamonds.

However, during the Great Depression, sales plummeted. To save the corporation, De Beers, along with N.W. Ayer launched one of the most successful marketing campaigns ever, “A Diamond is Forever”. They created a strong association between diamonds and such concepts as love, fidelity, family, stability, strength, and happiness.

Still, 78% of all engagement rings worldwide are adorned with diamonds. However, in recent years, Kantor Jewelry has seen colored gemstones set in a solitaire ring begin to gain popularity. For example, Gwyneth Paltrow received a white gold ring with a round 12-carat sapphire from Brad Falchuk in 2018.

Eternity Rings

A ring covered with a scattering of small identical diamonds around the rim.

Archaeologists and jewelers argue about the date when such rings appeared. Some attribute it to the 18th century, others to the period of Ancient Egypt.

But an eternity ring, which is familiar to us, appeared in the 1960s thanks to the same old De Beers diamond mining company.

As journalist Edward Jay Epstein said, the diamond monopoly had a secret deal with the USSR, in which De Beers pledged to buy 90% of the diamonds mined in Russia in exchange for a single channel that controls the world’s supply of gemstones.

However, most diamonds were under 0.25 carats and unsuitable for standard jewelry. Then De Beers found a solution and released a ring with the entire strip covered with small identical diamonds. And to ensure that the fine jewelry finds its buyer, the company launched an advertising campaign with a simple and ingenious slogan: “She married you to be together in wealth and poverty. Let her know how things are going.”

It worked, and an eternity ring is still one of the most classic jewelry styles and popular symbols of love. Keep in mind that there are plenty of examples of eternity rings that don’t include diamonds at all. For example, traditional Claddagh jewelry, like the Claddagh ring, also represents eternal unity and loyalty. The best part? Most of this jewelry is inexpensive.

Pearl Threads

Elizabeth I and Marie de Medici were both known to wear jewelry with pearls on their necks. We find references to it in ancient Chinese chronicles, the Old Testament, and the Odyssey.

However, the pearl thread became a truly classic piece of jewelry in the 20th century thanks to Coco Chanel. She not only wore numerous strands of pearl beads but also launched the production of a necklace made of artificial pearls for her atelier.

Today, the pearl thread, whether it be natural pearls, artificial, or artificially grown, still remains at the peak of popularity. However, this decoration requires a new reading.

Threads of pearls of the same size fade into the background, but beads of pearls of different shapes, shades, and sizes perfectly complement the modern look. They can be combined with a casual or even sporty style or worn with other jewelry, such as chains or necklaces of different lengths.

Princess Diana Engagement Ring

This ring with a large oval gem framed with small diamonds has become a standard of luxury and elegance.

During the engagement, Prince Charles decided to go against tradition, and instead of the usual diamond ring, he presented Lady Di with an unusual piece of jewelry for such an occasion: an 18-carat gold ring with a bright blue Ceylon sapphire, a 12-carat oval, surrounded by 14 diamonds.

This ring was later inherited by Prince William. And in 2010, the Duke of Cambridge presented it to his beloved.

Today, many celebrities have such rings in their collections. For example, Eva Longoria wears a white gold ring with a round ruby surrounded by diamonds, which is very reminiscent of Lady Dee’s ring.

“A Diamond is Forever”

All these fine jewelry will remain in trend for many years and even decades and will become the basis of your jewelry collection. And if you want to make them more interesting and memorable or customize them for yourself, bespoke jewelry is a solution that will give a new reading to the classic jewelry and will perfectly complement your image.

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