Humans have been making jewelry ever since they learned that such things as seeds, rocks and shells could be configured into things of wearable beauty. Here are eight beautiful examples of unique jewelry:
Headpiece by Elizaveta Gnatchenko
This beautiful headpiece is both primitive and refined, with its gemstones set inside quadrilaterals of coconut shell studded with glittering Swarovski crystals.
Bib Necklace by Yves St. Laurent
Yves St. Laurent was famous for both his jewelry and his clothes. One 17.75 inch long bib necklace is made by the Atelier Gripoix. It is set with multicolored paste cabochons and signed YSL. The necklace comes with earrings also made out of ruby red paste cabochons.
Brooch by H. Beuerl
One surprisingly modern looking piece of jewelry is a clasp in the form of trophy. Now residing in Nymphenburg Palace, Munich, Germany, it was made in 1603. It is made of gold formed into spears, arrows and shields and decorated with square cut diamonds and pear-shaped enamel pearls.
Ruby Lips by Salvador Dalí
Salvador Dalí was not only known for his surrealist paintings but for rather surrealist pieces of jewelry, including a watch shaped like a tearing eye. A famous work of jewelry is his Ruby Lips, and this piece is made of gold encrusted with pave rubies for the lips and set with two rows of pearls for the teeth. It’s on permanent exhibition at the Dalí Theatre and Museum in Figueres, Spain.
Geometric Necklace
Created in 1966, a necklace made of red gold from which hang two broken spirals studded with diamond brilliants and geometric shapes made from gold is the work of the artist Arnaldo Pomodoro, who is known for his outside sculptures.
Platinum Necklace by Harry Winston
Among many other examples of jewelry, Harry Winston created a simple platinum necklace from which depended a 127 carat step-cut diamond. He also created a more elaborate platinum necklace studded along the outside with small, pear-cut diamonds, and the infamous “Hope” diamond hung from this necklace.
Swan and Hyacinth Pendant
This necklace, made by Philippe Wolfers, is an example of the sinuous art that characterized the Art Nouveau period, and it features a swan carved out of rainbow quartz. Above it are three hyacinth flowers in pink and green tourmaline and carnelian, and a baroque pearl hangs beneath the swan, and the rest of the pendant is decorated with brilliant cut diamonds, rubies, gold, enamel and semi-precious stones.
Sun Pin
“A spectacular sun pin from the turn of the 20th century that once belonged to the Countess of Lovelace is encrusted with brilliant cut diamond,” said DeSantis Jewelry. Worn as either a pin or hairpiece, it has triangular sun rays alternating with rays in the shapes of squiggles, and each triangular ray has a diamond at its tip.
