Modernist Rock Crystal Drop Earrings, Silver Overlay

Description

The Museum’s Costume Institute houses a striking necklace and bracelet set (American, 1925–35) of clear rock crystal beads; each spherical bead is enclosed in a simple yet dramatic “cage” of sterling silver wire. The minimalist design, rather than emphasizing color or ornament, showcases the essence of the materials themselves. This bold modern jewelry is the source for our earrings.

Silver overlay, with rock crystal. 1 1/4''L. Pierced, with sterling silver ear wires.

Art History

In the early 1920s, visionary architects and designers forged a new modernist aesthetic devoted to utility, rationalism, and pure geometry. Many American designers embraced the ideals promoted by the Bauhaus, Le Corbusier, and others, which had a wide-ranging influence through the post-World War II era. In jewelry design the emphasis was on simplicity and pure form, especially evident in the sleek sculptural studio jewelry created during the 1940s and ’50s.