Why is designer jewelry so special?
Designer jewelry – "On a plate", silver and brass necklace, handmade by Dalia Katavić
I must admit that I don't remember when I first encountered designer jewelry, but I know that I have always been attracted to different, unique, unusual, one-of-a-kind jewelry - decoration. The kind that "stings" you, wakes you up and dazzles you with the passion with which it was made. Designer jewelry completely captures the attention of the observer because there is an authentic story behind it. Playful imagination is transformed through creativity into pieces of valuable jewelry that are handmade as unique pieces or in small batches. I can't say that I have a designer role model. I'm not a person who gets attached. So many creative, capable people have walked through history and you can learn something from each of them. I want to mention two wonderful people who made me go all the way to Russia. They are Roman Karakurkchi and Vladimir Plakhov . Talent, dedication, a lot of work, discipline, learning and love for this job are behind them. I'm talking about first-hand experience - priceless!
Dalia Katavić at the International Jewerly School in Russia
Artistic concept
The concept is precisely what elevates art to a higher level than mass-produced "artwork", and thus the artistic concept differentiates designer jewelry from the ubiquitous commercial costume jewelry. Regardless of the material it is made of, designer jewelry gains value because of the concept and the designer.
"Art allows us to find and lose ourselves at the same time."
That's it! It's a poem on canvas, it's a painting in a poem, it's a wild beast in a child, a storm in a closet, it's a seed carried by the wind, a smile behind a closed window. It's the power in a drop of water. It's a feeling translated into color, shape, note... It's truth with a smell and taste, tangible, captivating and seductive. Art is an incentive for life. Different for everyone.
"Extension cable", copper necklace, hand made by Dalia Katavić
That's how my "Extension Cable", a copper necklace, was born, something completely unusual and nothing like it. In these times when nothing is logical and many things are critical, when we are in a big dilemma and when every thought seems extreme, I am sending a good vibe to you so that everything is not too serious.
In conversations with my Marta (that's my daughter), who is graduating from the Academy of Fine Arts, I often open up areas that I never even thought were part of the realm of art. God, how narrow-minded we sometimes are in our knowledge and thinking!
However, we cannot say the same about artists. They venture into various fields and experiment. Many have bravely stepped into the world of jewelry. The skilled hands of master jewelers turn their designs into jewelry. This is how small masterpieces of applied art were created. It is inevitable that designer jewelry is a combination of superior craftsmanship and art. I talk about jewelry design artists, famous jewelers and the jewelry that resulted from their collaboration below.
Designer jewelry = a symbiosis of artist and jeweler
Behind the most valuable jewelry are the names of renowned world artists and interesting stories. The following have tried their hand at jewelry design and achieved success: Paloma and Pablo Picasso, Jean Michel Schlumberger, Man Ray, Méret Oppenheim, Claude Lalanne, Max Ernst, Giuseppe Uncini, Niki de Saint Phalle, Jeff Koons, Salvador Dalì, Louise Bourgeois, Frank Stella...
The engagement of artists leads to the creation of jewelry that tells a unique story.
GianCarlo Montebello - designer jewelry in collaboration with famous artists
GianCarlo Montebello founded the jewelry company GEM Montebello in 1967 with the desire to create high-quality and affordable limited edition jewelry in collaboration with famous artists. He collaborated with more than fifty artists: Man Ray, Niki de Saint Phalle, Lucio Fontana, Matta…
He always learned from artists by listening and watching: "It's learning with your eyes and ears to progress."
The value of his jewelry was demonstrated in 1978, when it was stolen from him at a public exhibition in Italy.
"Jewels are designed to be worn, not displayed in a window."
(GianCarlo Montebello)
A pioneer of 20th-century avant-garde art and photography, and a leading figure in Dada and Surrealism, he collaborated with GEM Montebello until his death. This collaboration resulted in eight jewelry designs. I will highlight two iconic pieces – long gold spiral earrings with a pendant inspired by a 1919 lampshade design, and the “Optic Topic,” a mask made in a limited edition of 100. His famous 5.5-inch earrings are worn over the ears so as not to weigh down the earlobes. They were made famous in 1968 by Catherine Deneuve , an icon of French cinema.
"Unnamed", sculpture made of patinated brass, silver and shells, handmade by Dalia Katavić
This artist collaborated with the company GEM Montebello, transferring the artistic concept of a luxurious, large and caricatured sculpture of a woman, her iconic Nana, into small masterpieces – brooches, bracelets, necklaces… These are colorful enameled pieces of jewelry. Body parts strung separately in a row and other unusual motifs represent a rebellion against the modern, constructed “archetype” of female beauty, which she had to deal with as a model for Life and Vogue. GEM Montebello made the mini enameled Nana in gold in an edition of only 12 signed and numbered copies. I also tried my hand at making a sculpture. I made the sculpture “Without a Name” on order from a client who brought me two beautiful shells. In her vision, these were wings and I fulfilled her wish. It is enough to look at her, put her in your world, in that context and let the good feeling spread throughout your whole body. Peace.
Designer jewelry Tiffany&Co;
While other jewelry houses hide the names of the designers of their jewelry, Tiffany & Co. highlights the name of the artist because it brings added value and popularity to the jewelry. Charles Lewis Tiffany earned the title of “King of Diamonds” in 1878 when he purchased a large yellow diamond. The rough gemstone called the Tiffany Diamond , weighing 287.42 carats, had been discovered the year before in the Kimberly mines of South Africa and cost a whopping $18,000. Tiffany’s chief gemologist (gem appraiser) supervised the cutting of the diamond into a cushion shape, and the gem today weighs 128.54 carats. Jean Michel Schlumberger had the honor of finishing it. He created a creation called “Bird on the Rock” by setting a diamond bird on a stone that represented a rock, telling a completely different story.
Tiffany designer jewelry was and is still worn by famous women around the world. Only four women have had the honor of wearing the Tiffany Diamond: Mary Whitehouse (1957), Audrey Hepburn, Lady Gaga and Beyoncé. Style icon Audrey Hepburn wore it in a “Ribbon Rosette” necklace while advertising the film “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” in 1961. The necklace was also designed by Schlumberger. The third celebrity to have had the honor of wearing this expensive diamond is Lady Gaga . She wore it at the 2019 Oscars. The latest is Beyoncé in an advertising campaign for Tiffany & Co.
"Small things", brooch and earrings made of labradorite and brass, handmade by Dalia Katavić
These precious little things, jewels, round off every outfit in a special way. To me, these beautiful labradorites in the photo reminded me of a balloon in a celestial setting. It always slows me down, helps me come to my senses and feel grateful. From inspiration to concept, from concept to a set of brooches and earrings – that's how my "Little Things" were created.
Designer jewelry by Jean Michel Schlumberger
Jean Michel Schlumberger did not have a degree in design, but that did not stop him from pursuing his passion for jewelry design. Elsa Schiaparelli, the famous fashion designer, seeing his imagination, expressed her full trust in him. She gave him free rein to create buttons for a new circus-themed collection. Schlumberger created small, functional masterpieces because buttons were much more than just functional objects. They became the main attraction of the fashion collection. Inspired by this business adventure, he created a collection of brooches. Walter Hoving , president of Tiffany & Co., offered him a collaboration and a co-signature of jewelry in 1956. And so Schlumberger entered the world of jewelry through the biggest door.
Silver and fur bracelet, handmade by Dalia Katavić
Designer jewelry by Méret Oppenheim
Merét Oppenheim , the artist and model for Man Ray's most beautiful erotic photographs, came up with the idea of a fur bracelet in 1936, which she then made. She approached Elsa Schiaparelli for a collaboration. The fur bracelet appeared in the winter collection of the same year.
Chatting with Merét over coffee at the favorite Parisian artists’ hangout, the Café de Flore, Pablo Picasso was fascinated by the bracelet on her arm. He remarked that fur could cover many things. Merét added, pointing to a coffee cup: “Even this cup and saucer!”
Thus, Picasso inspired her for a fur coffee set - a plate, cup and spoon , a work that left an indelible mark and is now housed in the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
Speaking of cups and saucers, there is an exhibition of Nataša Kabalin's ceramics in progress at our gallery in Praška, so I invite you to take a look at what Croatian applied art looks like.
Pablo Picasso weaved art into jewelry
In the 1930s, the famous Picasso created miniature portraits of his lover Dora Maar, which were made into brooches, pendants and rings. He made a ceramic necklace for his wife Jacqueline Roque.
He made the “Owl Necklace” about ten years later with another lover, Francoise Gilot, a painter and art critic. It was not until the 1960s that he decided to produce it commercially. He created a collection of jewelry for sale, and collaborated with jeweler Francois Hugo. The design and ceramic patterns were by Pablo Picasso, and the end result of this successful collaboration was a series of gold medallions.
"Sebi", a unique brooch made of copper and brass, handmade by Dalia Katavić
Salvador Dalì - designer jewelry as his view of the world
Another globally popular artist blurring the line between jewelry and art was Dalì . He collaborated with Fulco di Verdur in 1941, then with Carlos Bernardo Alemany , an Argentine jewelry maker. He explored anthropomorphism, metamorphism, and cosmology in nature and religion, which could be recognized in his jewelry designs. His most famous work is “The Eye of Time,” a gift for his wife Gala, a combination of a series of pavé diamonds and platines cabochon rubies. The pupil is made of three shades of blue “enamel.” It reminded me of my “Sebi” brooch. Just as Dalì enjoyed his creation, so do I, Dalia, when I am comfortable, enjoy making things that add quality and beauty to life.
"Joy", a unique ring made of silver and lace agate, handmade by Dalia Katavić
"Joy", a unique necklace made of calcite and silver, handmade by Dalia Katavić
"It's not that story", a ring made of calcite, silver and patinated silver, handmade by Dalia Katavić
"Purple Flight", purpurite and braided brass necklace, handmade by Dalia Katavić
Claude Lalanne – flora and fauna in designer jewelry
The artist's concept is based on immersing flowers, other plants and butterflies in a galvanizing bath. This is how iconic pieces of jewelry were created: necklaces , brooches , earrings , bracelets and evening bags. The fascination with nature and her immersion in jewelry is what connects me to this exceptional artist. As an agronomist by profession and a passionate lover of nature, I translate my passion into jewelry. Fascinated by incredible scenes, I have created many pieces of jewelry that are woven with symbols of nature.
Thus, the “Joy” necklace and ring are inspired by the awakening of spring, a gentle, fragile, but brave snowdrop who is always the first to decide to bow her head. The “Not That Story” ring, inspired by ants and sugar, is not a story about diligence and organization, but simply a story about I love sweets. The “Purple Flight” necklace is inspired by the joyful flight of butterflies, that cheerful game from flower to flower, just as we should cheerfully accept life. With it, I tell people to play and try to look at things from a wider perspective. Lalanne collaborated with the famous Yves Saint Laurent on the Haute Couture autumn/winter 1969 collection when she made casts of the body of the model Veruscha. On that occasion, the fashion designer stated that he was captivated by the way Lalanne combines a high level of craftsmanship and poetry: “It seems that those beautiful hands of a sculptor remove the fog of mystery to reach the shores of art.”
Max Ernst
Max Ernst sculpted his first jewel in 1959 from plasticine. He collaborated with his friend Francois Hugo. Hugo wanted to transform the frottage and grattage techniques, which Ernst had invented, into something new. The collaboration resulted in a collection of 34 gold pieces. These are brooches and pendants that were called masks because of their resemblance to the geometry of the face.
"Street Faces", copper necklace, handmade by Dalia Katavić
I am also inspired by faces. That's how the necklaces "View" and "Street Faces" were created, inspired by faces from the street.
"This is a face from the street
just another mask in passing
in some haustor.
Maybe you see it, maybe not.
But it made my day.
And now I'm laughing with a stranger."
This controversial artist created kitsch jewelry as a form of irony. His famous “ Rabbit ” made of stainless steel with a mirrored surface resembles an inflatable rabbit. Did you know that it fetched the highest price at auction among works of art by a living artist? It fetched a staggering $91,070,000. In collaboration with fashion designer Stella McCartney , “Rabbit” was created in a series of 50 pendants in white gold, as a wearable work of art of a small size (7.5 cm), compared to his colossal sculptures.
For Calder, jewelry design was an alternative way of communicating artistic ideals. Already in early childhood, he showed an artistic and designer streak. At the age of 8, he made his first jewelry. They were necklaces made of scrap copper for my sister's doll.
He designed more than 2000 pieces of jewelry. He loved abstract motifs. He wanted to create jewelry accessible to others, not just the wealthiest class, so he worked with: silver, brass, stainless steel, ceramics, wood and glass. He did not like soldering. He would tie metal strips or secure them with rivets.
"I'm looking for myself", necklace and bracelet made of copper and volcanic lava, handmade by Dalia Katavić
Calder was fascinated by Africa, just like me. I told my African story through recognizable motifs of the continent (people and animals) and materials of the African soil (wood and semi-precious stones). Here I bring you just a part of my African world in jewelry, the set "I am looking for myself". I love Africa, I go there to find myself so that I can lose myself again. 😉
The artist of monumental spider sculptures has translated her artistic concept into gold brooches, earrings and bracelets. See how my fascination with these small, filigree, precise knitters looks in the photo. For me, the spider is “Pure Positive”:
"What a spider, man."
"Nothing will ruin my day."
(TBF)
"Samo pozitiva", unique silver necklace with 24-karat gold leaves, labradorite and Swarovski crystal, hand made by Dalia Katavić
"And the positive symbolism of spiders:
Value, perseverance, creativity, madness,
Creativity, inspiration.
With a spider under my arm
Or around the neck, go with a smile.
Louise Joséphine Bourgeois' iconic choker from 1948, the "Shackle Necklace" , is an expression of rebellion against the violence she witnessed during the Spanish Civil War. Namely, prisoners were suffocated by chains, the appearance of which her choker imitates. It was also a commentary on the status of women, a metaphor for society, the political and legal restrictions on women before the advent of feminism. Helmut Lang included the choker in his spring/summer 2003 fashion line.
Painter and sculptor Frank Stella is known for his geometric patterns and shapes. He is the designer of an iconic ring with its signature curved, intricate elements, which is made in a limited edition. He created a ring of 28 parts that are precisely welded together, and which today adorns the hand of Diane Venet, a passionate collector of art and designer jewelry. Did you know that for years Venet begged Frank Stella to make something for her, first directly, and then through her husband, his friend? He refused her because he was not interested. But one day, while Diane and her husband, the esteemed sculptor Bernard Venet , were visiting, he made and gifted her the much-desired piece of jewelry for her collection. She exclaimed with delight that she didn’t need to wear anything with it except a little black dress. With a little black dress, the “Walk” ring inspired by a walk in nature is enough.
"We give ourselves to nature, to nature with an open mind, open eyes and heart..."
"Walk", unique silver ring with agate, handmade by Dalia Katavić
"The Color of Civilized Life", a unique silver ring from the private collection of Danijela Martinović, handmade by Dalia Katavić
Speaking of an open heart, let me also mention the jewelry collection of the same name for a dear friend. I am particularly honored that Danijela Martinović recognized in me a creative person who can fulfill her wishes. Today, Danijela's collection already contains quite a few of my works made exclusively for her. One of them is the ring "The Color of Civilized Life", an old gramophone that is a sculpture, painting, music, architecture and poetry, all in one.
Diana Venet's incredible collection of designer jewelry
Diane Venet has one of the most valuable collections of designer jewelry in the world, 200 pieces created between the second half of the 20th century and the present day. It is about 135 artists. Read what these artistic names are all about: Pablo Picasso, Alberto Giacometti, Georges Braque, Orlan, Salvador Dalí, Robert Indiana, Louise Bourgeois, Sol LeWitt, Robert Rauschenberg, Lucio Fontana, Wim Delvoye, Joko Ono, Jeff Koons...
Did you know that many of the pieces in this collection were made specifically for her? Orlan designed a brooch that is a miniature self-portrait of her . Venet loves to wear jewelry from her collection, but she also loves to exhibit it in exhibitions. One of her most memorable exhibitions was held in 2011 , “ From Picasso to Koons, the Artist as Jeweler,” at the Museum of Arts and Design (MAD) in New York, and was later shown in Athens, Valencia, Miami, and Seoul.
"Jewelry making, my vice!"
This sentence was uttered by Giuseppe Uncini . I must admit that I am not far from this attitude either. Everything I imagine, I immediately want to translate into jewelry. Uncini made his first jewelry in 1958 in his friend's dental laboratory out of pure curiosity. There he was introduced to the technique of casting in wax. While his artistic creations are rough, raw and brutal due to the use of concrete, his jewelry is the complete opposite. It is made in gold combined with precious stones and is very refined.
"The Story of a Veronica", unique custom earrings made of silver, titanium and olive root, handmade by Dalia Katavić
Designer jewelry from a famous collector as a strong message to the world
At the opening of her exhibition "The Art of This Century," art patron and collector Peggy Guggenheim wore mismatched earrings, a nod to abstract art on the one hand and surrealism on the other. One earring was designed by Alexander Calder , the other by Yves Tanguy .
I also made an interesting pair of earrings that tell a deep emotional story. People usually expect symmetry and the same look of earrings. This is not “The Story of One Veronica”. These earrings were commissioned by a young woman whose story is worth sharing. It is a story about life's motivation and joy, finding the beautiful and finding a way out when everything seems bad, a reminder that life is ahead of us. Who knows, maybe one day I will tell it to you!
Designer jewelry – my experience
Now I will describe my experience with artistic jewelry.
A man in his daily routine, buying groceries, mowing the lawn, playing his favorite card game surrounded by his favorite people. Boom! An idea! Fragments of shapes and colors. Enthusiasm. An artistic flicker between the shelf with sweets, between the mowed row and meadow flowers, blended with the smile of a friend. A moment, only his. A magnificent scene to which he is invited. How beautiful it is to live in such a festive period! That's how it starts... and then the continuation, the fervor and enthusiasm that guide the head and hand and give them zest. Sentiment and temperament result in an impressive aesthetic impression. An ornament that you love... always. I am often asked what my relationship is with costume jewelry. Costume jewelry is cute, but you know what - "it danced one summer".
"Malo boje", a unique necklace of silver and jade, hand made by Dalia Katavić
As I mentioned in the introduction, I am more attracted to the unrepeatable, original, unique, one-of-a-kind, and I found that in designer jewelry. Costume jewelry is just jewelry, and designer jewelry is more than that. Art brings a "little color" into our lives - universality, space, time, the alternation of darkness and light, weakness and strength, sleep and wakefulness. Color is our inner duality of being, our beginning and permeation. Diana Venet's statement, with which I will make a point at the end of this story about artistically designed jewelry, best conveys the essence of designer or artistic jewelry.
"I don't wear jewelry. I wear art."
(Diane Venet)