There’s a saying that earrings and necklaces are for others to enjoy, but rings and bracelets are for one’s personal enjoyment. The meaning, of course, is that jewelry worn on the hands and the wrists can be seen and appreciated by the wearer. And when it comes to this gold cuff bracelet, which is at once hefty and intricately detailed, there is much to be enjoyed.
Crafted from 18-karat yellow gold in the the 1930s, the cuff hails from the Art Deco period, but the design is probably not what comes to mind when you think of jewelry from that era. Art Deco jewels were often made from white metals like platinum and set with white diamonds, for a dazzling white-on-white pairing, or combined with stones like emeralds, sapphires, onyx and coral, for a high-contrast effect. This bracelet, offered on 1stDibs by Nadine Krakov Collection, doesn’t fall into either of those categories. It does, however, beautifully express the geometric elements characteristic of Art Deco while subtly nodding to earlier Etruscan Revival themes through the use of yellow gold and the unique hinged design.
What makes this piece truly exceptional is the quality of the gold work. It features exquisite granulation, a technique originating in the Etruscan period in which tiny gold beads are individually soldered to a base by hand to create intricate patterns. Although the bracelet’s maker is unknown, applying this demanding technique required a master goldsmith. The result is a piece that you could stare at every day and discover something new every time, that invites you to run your fingers over the shiny squares and gold beads and admire the work of a skilled, if anonymous, creator.
