Famous Bulgari Jewelry on Display in San Francisco

“Tubogas” choker, 1974; two-color gold with Greek silver coins. Bulgari Heritage Collection, inv. 404 N607. © Antonio Barrella Studio Orizzonte.

By Maria Ling,
Assistant Editor

One more reason to spend the holidays in San Francisco is the ongoing exhibition of Bulgari jewelry at the de Young Museum. 

“The Art of Bulgari: La Dolce Vita & Beyond 1950 - 1990,” is an exhibition of approximately 150 pieces created by the renowned Italian jeweler over four decades. It highlights jewelry that defined a pivotal period in Italian design, and will include pieces from the personal collections of Elizabeth Taylor, Ellen Barkin and other famous names. The exhibition will run through February 17, 2014.

Sautoir, 1969, platinum with sapphires and diamonds. Formerly in the collection of Elizabeth Taylor. Bulgari Heritage Collection, inv. 6675 N2170 © Antonio Barrella Studio Orizzonte.

Bulgari notably began to create its own trademark in jewelry in the 1960s by embracing boldly-colored combinations of gemstones, use of heavy gold, and forms derived from Greco-Roman classicism, the Italian Renaissance, and the 19th-century Roman school of goldsmiths. The company helped to develop a look that would come to be known as the “Italian school” of jewelry design. Pieces in the exhibition display the jeweler’s eclectic creativity and invention during this period.

Bracelets, 1955 and 1959; platinum with diamonds. Formerly in the collection of Ellen Barkin. Bulgari Heritage Collection, inv. 4924 B527, 4925 B528 © Antonio Barrella Studio Orizzonte.

Works in the exhibition also include those from the 1970s and 80s, a particularly innovative period for the jeweler and one influenced by Pop Art and other contemporary trends. 

“Parentesi” parure, ca. 1982; Gold with diamonds. Bulgari Heritage Collection, inv. 5063 E173, 5068 N1500, 5072 B508 © Antonio Barrella Studio Orizzonte.

“The hard-edged designs of the 1970s included a whole range based on the Stars-and-Stripes motif, while in the 1980s the Parentesi collection had a smoother, modular, almost architectural presence; both show how the jeweler could lead in new directions with a strong sense of design,” said Martin Chapman, curator in charge of European Decorative Arts and Sculpture at the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco.

“Bib” necklace, 1965; Gold with emeralds, amethysts, turquoise, and diamonds. Formerly in the collection of Lyn Revson. Bulgari Heritage Collection, inv. 401 N565. © Antonio Barrella Studio Orizzonte

Bulgari’s successful cultivation of prominent patrons and movie stars like Sophia Loren, Ingrid Bergman, and perhaps most notably, Elizabeth Taylor, has long been a key aspect of the jeweler’s reputation. 

To help explore the cultural context in which these objects were made, the exhibition will include sketches, photographs, and other archival materials that help to reveal an intersection of celebrity, design and fine craftsmanship.

 Please join me on the Jewelry News Network Facebook Page, on Twitter @JewelryNewsNet and on the Forbes Website.

“Tubogas” choker, 1974; two-color gold with Greek silver coins. Bulgari Heritage Collection, inv. 404 N607. © Antonio Barrella Studio Orizzonte.

By Maria Ling,
Assistant Editor

One more reason to spend the holidays in San Francisco is the ongoing exhibition of Bulgari jewelry at the de Young Museum. 

“The Art of Bulgari: La Dolce Vita & Beyond 1950 - 1990,” is an exhibition of approximately 150 pieces created by the renowned Italian jeweler over four decades. It highlights jewelry that defined a pivotal period in Italian design, and will include pieces from the personal collections of Elizabeth Taylor, Ellen Barkin and other famous names. The exhibition will run through February 17, 2014.

Sautoir, 1969, platinum with sapphires and diamonds. Formerly in the collection of Elizabeth Taylor. Bulgari Heritage Collection, inv. 6675 N2170 © Antonio Barrella Studio Orizzonte.

Bulgari notably began to create its own trademark in jewelry in the 1960s by embracing boldly-colored combinations of gemstones, use of heavy gold, and forms derived from Greco-Roman classicism, the Italian Renaissance, and the 19th-century Roman school of goldsmiths. The company helped to develop a look that would come to be known as the “Italian school” of jewelry design. Pieces in the exhibition display the jeweler’s eclectic creativity and invention during this period.

Bracelets, 1955 and 1959; platinum with diamonds. Formerly in the collection of Ellen Barkin. Bulgari Heritage Collection, inv. 4924 B527, 4925 B528 © Antonio Barrella Studio Orizzonte.

Works in the exhibition also include those from the 1970s and 80s, a particularly innovative period for the jeweler and one influenced by Pop Art and other contemporary trends. 

“Parentesi” parure, ca. 1982; Gold with diamonds. Bulgari Heritage Collection, inv. 5063 E173, 5068 N1500, 5072 B508 © Antonio Barrella Studio Orizzonte.

“The hard-edged designs of the 1970s included a whole range based on the Stars-and-Stripes motif, while in the 1980s the Parentesi collection had a smoother, modular, almost architectural presence; both show how the jeweler could lead in new directions with a strong sense of design,” said Martin Chapman, curator in charge of European Decorative Arts and Sculpture at the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco.

“Bib” necklace, 1965; Gold with emeralds, amethysts, turquoise, and diamonds. Formerly in the collection of Lyn Revson. Bulgari Heritage Collection, inv. 401 N565. © Antonio Barrella Studio Orizzonte

Bulgari’s successful cultivation of prominent patrons and movie stars like Sophia Loren, Ingrid Bergman, and perhaps most notably, Elizabeth Taylor, has long been a key aspect of the jeweler’s reputation. 

To help explore the cultural context in which these objects were made, the exhibition will include sketches, photographs, and other archival materials that help to reveal an intersection of celebrity, design and fine craftsmanship.

 Please join me on the Jewelry News Network Facebook Page, on Twitter @JewelryNewsNet and on the Forbes Website.

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The Famed and Mysterious ‘Cheapside Hoard’ Jewels to go on Display at Museum of London

Bloodstone carved into the form of a strawberry leaf. Photo Credit: Museum of London

The Cheapside Hoard, considered the world’s largest and finest collection of jewelry from Britain's Elizabethan and early Stuart periods, will go on display at the Museum of London, beginning October 11.

Emerald, diamond and enamel Salamander brooch. Photo Credit: Museum of London

The items were found accidentally by construction workers 101 years ago hidden in a London cellar near St. Paul’s cathedral. Even though many of the pieces have been exhibited at different times and at different venues, it will be the first time that the entire collection of 500 pieces will be placed on display.

Colombian emerald watch. Photo Credit: Museum of London

The pieces include cascading necklaces, Byzantine cameos and jeweled scent bottles. Highlights include a cabochon emerald and yellow gold salamander brooch, a watch mounted in a single large emerald with a translucent green enamel dial, and enamel and gem-set Elizabethan necklace chains decorated with floral motifs.

Gold and enamel chain with floral links. Photo Credit: Museum of London

An oval gem engraved with the heraldic badge of William Howard, the first and only Viscount Stafford, (1612-1680), was the latest datable item in the collection. This and other clues led researchers to conclude that the treasures were buried between 1640 and 1666.

Carnelian intaglio with Stafford heraldic badge. Photo Credit: Museum of London

“The Cheapside Hoard has been swathed in mystery, rich in questions that had been left unanswered for too long,” said Hazel Forsyth, exhibition curator. “The Stafford intaglio has been absolutely vital in shedding new light on the collection, providing crucial dating evidence for the deposition of the Hoard between 1640 and 1666, and making a specific link to an individual who had international connections and a penchant for collecting gems and antiquities.”

Cabochon emerald ring. Photo Credit: Museum of London

The name, cheapside, was the name of the main shopping street in London during the 17th Century—cheap actually meant market. There were jewelers who worked on the street.

Byzantine amethyst cameo depicting St George and St Demetrios, 6th century AD. Photo Credit: Museum of London

There is still plenty of mystery that surrounds the Cheapside Hoard. For example, researchers are fairly certain that the hoard represents a goldsmith-jeweler’s stock-in-trade. However, no one knows who this person was and why he hid the items and never returned for them.

Onyx cameo depicting Aesop's Fable, The Dog and the Shadow. Photo Credit: Museum of London

The exhibition will consider these questions and others and will present the pieces within its historical context that will reflect the craftsmanship, taste and fashion of the period. It will also look at London’s role in the international gem trade in its age of global conquest and exploration.

Gold and enamel pendant set with two sapphires and an irregular polished spinel. Photo Credit: Museum of London

The exhibition will run till April 27, 2014. Sponsors of the event are luxury jewelry house, Fabergé, and its owner, colored gemstone miner and marketer, Gemfields.

Gild brass verge watch – the Hoard’s only signed piece, c1600. Photo Credit: Museum of London

Please join me on the Jewelry News Network Facebook Page, on Twitter @JewelryNewsNet and on the Forbes Web site.
 

Gold bow pendant set with rose-cut and step-cut foil-backed rubies and table-cut diamonds. Photo Credit: Museum of London

Bloodstone carved into the form of a strawberry leaf. Photo Credit: Museum of London

The Cheapside Hoard, considered the world’s largest and finest collection of jewelry from Britain's Elizabethan and early Stuart periods, will go on display at the Museum of London, beginning October 11.

Emerald, diamond and enamel Salamander brooch. Photo Credit: Museum of London

The items were found accidentally by construction workers 101 years ago hidden in a London cellar near St. Paul’s cathedral. Even though many of the pieces have been exhibited at different times and at different venues, it will be the first time that the entire collection of 500 pieces will be placed on display.

Colombian emerald watch. Photo Credit: Museum of London

The pieces include cascading necklaces, Byzantine cameos and jeweled scent bottles. Highlights include a cabochon emerald and yellow gold salamander brooch, a watch mounted in a single large emerald with a translucent green enamel dial, and enamel and gem-set Elizabethan necklace chains decorated with floral motifs.

Gold and enamel chain with floral links. Photo Credit: Museum of London

An oval gem engraved with the heraldic badge of William Howard, the first and only Viscount Stafford, (1612-1680), was the latest datable item in the collection. This and other clues led researchers to conclude that the treasures were buried between 1640 and 1666.

Carnelian intaglio with Stafford heraldic badge. Photo Credit: Museum of London

“The Cheapside Hoard has been swathed in mystery, rich in questions that had been left unanswered for too long,” said Hazel Forsyth, exhibition curator. “The Stafford intaglio has been absolutely vital in shedding new light on the collection, providing crucial dating evidence for the deposition of the Hoard between 1640 and 1666, and making a specific link to an individual who had international connections and a penchant for collecting gems and antiquities.”

Cabochon emerald ring. Photo Credit: Museum of London

The name, cheapside, was the name of the main shopping street in London during the 17th Century—cheap actually meant market. There were jewelers who worked on the street.

Byzantine amethyst cameo depicting St George and St Demetrios, 6th century AD. Photo Credit: Museum of London

There is still plenty of mystery that surrounds the Cheapside Hoard. For example, researchers are fairly certain that the hoard represents a goldsmith-jeweler’s stock-in-trade. However, no one knows who this person was and why he hid the items and never returned for them.

Onyx cameo depicting Aesop's Fable, The Dog and the Shadow. Photo Credit: Museum of London

The exhibition will consider these questions and others and will present the pieces within its historical context that will reflect the craftsmanship, taste and fashion of the period. It will also look at London’s role in the international gem trade in its age of global conquest and exploration.

Gold and enamel pendant set with two sapphires and an irregular polished spinel. Photo Credit: Museum of London

The exhibition will run till April 27, 2014. Sponsors of the event are luxury jewelry house, Fabergé, and its owner, colored gemstone miner and marketer, Gemfields.

Gild brass verge watch – the Hoard’s only signed piece, c1600. Photo Credit: Museum of London

Please join me on the Jewelry News Network Facebook Page, on Twitter @JewelryNewsNet and on the Forbes Web site.
 

Gold bow pendant set with rose-cut and step-cut foil-backed rubies and table-cut diamonds. Photo Credit: Museum of London

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Space Age Jewelry Creations

Tampa Necklace by Van Cleef & Arpels, white and yellow gold, diamond, sapphire, garnet, spinel and beryl. View at Forbes Galleries, March 16 - Sept. 7.

Lately, my inbox has been filling up with jewelry inspired by the heavenly bodies in the universe. As if aliens entered my e-mail, dropped off these images and left just as mysteriously. Why this is happening at this time I can’t say for sure. But these beings left behind some interesting jewelry as well as a notice of an upcoming exhibition at Forbes Galleries featuring jewelry influenced by outer space.

Pair of earclips by Tiffany & Co., 1962, gold, red coral. View at Forbes Galleries, March 16 - Sept. 7.

The exhibition titled, Out of This World! Jewelry in the Space Age, at the gallery on 60 Fifth Avenue (at 12th Street) will open March 16 and run through September 7. Curated by Elyse Zorn Karlin, co-director of The Association for the Study of Jewelry and Related Arts, It will include objects from more than 100 designers and lenders.

The Love that Moves the Sun & the Other Stars ring by Donna Distefano, 22k gold, meteorite and diamond. View at Forbes Galleries, March 16 - Sept. 7.

The images in this story include items that are part of the Forbes Galleries exhibition along with other pieces that have crossed my desk under the same theme. 

Moon landing pendant by Van Cleef & Arpels, 1969, yellow gold, ruby. View at Forbes Galleries, March 16 - Sept. 7.

Covering a variety of space-related themes through the context of materials and design, the exhibit includes vintage memorabilia and art objects relating to space. Jewelry with space motifs from the Georgian period through contemporary work as well as jewelry made from materials that come from outer space, such as: tektite, meteorite, pallasite, moldavite and moissanite. It will include works by Van Cleef and Arpels, Cartier and Tiffany & Co., along with established jewelry artists. 

Time Traveler Constellation cuff by Jason McLeod, 14k yellow, 18k yellow gold, platinum and turquoise. View at Forbes Galleries, March 16 - Sept. 7.

Among the exhibition highlights is the Van Cleef and Arpels’ Tampa Necklace, featuring detachable space-themed component parts, from a private collection. Another item from the famed Parisian luxury jewelry house is the Lunar Landing pendant, which was made to commemorate the first walk in space. Sputnik, Halley’s Comet, moon, star and planet-themed jewelry will also be seen, with abundant examples in fine and costume jewelry.

Horizon Pendant by Jacob Albee, 18k gold, 24k gold, ibeon meteorite, Tahitian pearl, white diamond, champagne diamond. View at Forbes Galleries, March 16 - Sept. 7.

There also will be other items that straddle the boundaries of art, jewelry and thematic objects. Among them is an an 18K gold Lunar Landing Module replica created by Cartier, designed to celebrate the first walk by man on the moon. Three of them were created for the astronauts that flew on the Apollo 11 mission and were gifts from Le Figaro newspaper. The one in this exhibition was given to astronaut Michael Collins. 

Rocket ship brooch, unknown maker, 1960s, platinum and diamonds. Lang Antiques, San Francisco. View at Forbes Galleries, March 16 - Sept. 7.

There will also be a unique watch on display made for the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which tells the time on Mars. 

Shooting Star by Parulina, champagne diamond pave and 18k gold.

Jewelry that has been flown in outer space includes Ed White II’s West Point ring, worn in space, which will be donated to West Point after the exhibition ends. White is the first person to walk in space. Jewelry worn and flown in space by astronaut Cady Coleman will be on view. Coleman has flown in two space missions, which includes spending 159 days on the International Space Station as a member of Expedition 27. 

Milky Way Collection pendant by Nina Basharova, 18k gold. $2,150 retail.

On loan from Beads of Courage, will be "flown in space" beads. The organization is dedicated to providing programs and support for children coping with serious, life-threatening illnesses. 

Stargazer Pendant by What's Your Sign? 12 diamond "starz" surrounded by a universe of brilliant sapphires (2.2 ctw.) on a sapphire strand. $2,849 retail.

Other items include Donald Claflin’s Man in the Moon clip earrings for Tiffany & Co., which once belonged to Gloria Vanderbilt, as well as Bjorn Weckstrom’s “Princess Leia Necklace,” named because Carrie Fisher wore the same one in the awards ceremony scene in the first Star Wars movie. There also will be jewelry fashioned from materials created for the space race, including pieces made of: polymer, nitinol, dichroic glass, titanium and fiber optic glass.

Please join me on the Jewelry News Network Facebook Page, on Twitter @JewelryNewsNet and on the Forbes Website.

Tampa Necklace by Van Cleef & Arpels, white and yellow gold, diamond, sapphire, garnet, spinel and beryl. View at Forbes Galleries, March 16 - Sept. 7.

Lately, my inbox has been filling up with jewelry inspired by the heavenly bodies in the universe. As if aliens entered my e-mail, dropped off these images and left just as mysteriously. Why this is happening at this time I can’t say for sure. But these beings left behind some interesting jewelry as well as a notice of an upcoming exhibition at Forbes Galleries featuring jewelry influenced by outer space.

Pair of earclips by Tiffany & Co., 1962, gold, red coral. View at Forbes Galleries, March 16 - Sept. 7.

The exhibition titled, Out of This World! Jewelry in the Space Age, at the gallery on 60 Fifth Avenue (at 12th Street) will open March 16 and run through September 7. Curated by Elyse Zorn Karlin, co-director of The Association for the Study of Jewelry and Related Arts, It will include objects from more than 100 designers and lenders.

The Love that Moves the Sun & the Other Stars ring by Donna Distefano, 22k gold, meteorite and diamond. View at Forbes Galleries, March 16 - Sept. 7.

The images in this story include items that are part of the Forbes Galleries exhibition along with other pieces that have crossed my desk under the same theme. 

Moon landing pendant by Van Cleef & Arpels, 1969, yellow gold, ruby. View at Forbes Galleries, March 16 - Sept. 7.

Covering a variety of space-related themes through the context of materials and design, the exhibit includes vintage memorabilia and art objects relating to space. Jewelry with space motifs from the Georgian period through contemporary work as well as jewelry made from materials that come from outer space, such as: tektite, meteorite, pallasite, moldavite and moissanite. It will include works by Van Cleef and Arpels, Cartier and Tiffany & Co., along with established jewelry artists. 

Time Traveler Constellation cuff by Jason McLeod, 14k yellow, 18k yellow gold, platinum and turquoise. View at Forbes Galleries, March 16 - Sept. 7.

Among the exhibition highlights is the Van Cleef and Arpels’ Tampa Necklace, featuring detachable space-themed component parts, from a private collection. Another item from the famed Parisian luxury jewelry house is the Lunar Landing pendant, which was made to commemorate the first walk in space. Sputnik, Halley’s Comet, moon, star and planet-themed jewelry will also be seen, with abundant examples in fine and costume jewelry.

Horizon Pendant by Jacob Albee, 18k gold, 24k gold, ibeon meteorite, Tahitian pearl, white diamond, champagne diamond. View at Forbes Galleries, March 16 - Sept. 7.

There also will be other items that straddle the boundaries of art, jewelry and thematic objects. Among them is an an 18K gold Lunar Landing Module replica created by Cartier, designed to celebrate the first walk by man on the moon. Three of them were created for the astronauts that flew on the Apollo 11 mission and were gifts from Le Figaro newspaper. The one in this exhibition was given to astronaut Michael Collins. 

Rocket ship brooch, unknown maker, 1960s, platinum and diamonds. Lang Antiques, San Francisco. View at Forbes Galleries, March 16 - Sept. 7.

There will also be a unique watch on display made for the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which tells the time on Mars. 

Shooting Star by Parulina, champagne diamond pave and 18k gold.

Jewelry that has been flown in outer space includes Ed White II’s West Point ring, worn in space, which will be donated to West Point after the exhibition ends. White is the first person to walk in space. Jewelry worn and flown in space by astronaut Cady Coleman will be on view. Coleman has flown in two space missions, which includes spending 159 days on the International Space Station as a member of Expedition 27. 

Milky Way Collection pendant by Nina Basharova, 18k gold. $2,150 retail.

On loan from Beads of Courage, will be "flown in space" beads. The organization is dedicated to providing programs and support for children coping with serious, life-threatening illnesses. 

Stargazer Pendant by What's Your Sign? 12 diamond "starz" surrounded by a universe of brilliant sapphires (2.2 ctw.) on a sapphire strand. $2,849 retail.

Other items include Donald Claflin’s Man in the Moon clip earrings for Tiffany & Co., which once belonged to Gloria Vanderbilt, as well as Bjorn Weckstrom’s “Princess Leia Necklace,” named because Carrie Fisher wore the same one in the awards ceremony scene in the first Star Wars movie. There also will be jewelry fashioned from materials created for the space race, including pieces made of: polymer, nitinol, dichroic glass, titanium and fiber optic glass.

Please join me on the Jewelry News Network Facebook Page, on Twitter @JewelryNewsNet and on the Forbes Website.

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Elizabeth Taylor’s Bulgari Jewelry Exhibit on Rodeo Drive

Elizabeth Taylor sapphire and diamond sautoir will be among the Bulgari jewels on display.

Elizabeth Taylor fans will have another opportunity to view some of the most important jewels from her legendary collection.

The Beverly Hills Bulgari boutique on Rodeo Drive will showcase an eight-piece exhibit of Elizabeth Taylor’s jewels on Tuesday, according to published reports. The jewels are on display as a preview to the Academy Awards, which will be held Sunday.

Emerald and diamond suite.

The Italian luxury jewelry house purchased its own pieces during the record-breaking auction of Elizabeth Taylor’s jewels held at Christie’s New York in December 2011. Among the items on display are an emerald and diamond necklace that it bought for $6.1 million, setting records for an emerald jewel and emerald per carat; and an 8.26-carat emerald and diamond pendant brooch that Bulgari purchased for $6.5 million (both pictured above as part of the emerald and diamond suite). The brooch was Taylor's first piece of Bulgari jewelry, according to reports.

Another item is a sapphire and diamond sautoir that Bulgari bought at the auction for $5.9 million (top photo).

A special preview of the display will be held Tuesday from 11:30 a.m. till 1:30 p.m., according to reports.

Follow this link to view more of Taylor's jewels from the Christie's New York auction.

Please join me on the Jewelry News Network Facebook Page, on Twitter @JewelryNewsNet and on the Forbes Web site.

Elizabeth Taylor sapphire and diamond sautoir will be among the Bulgari jewels on display.

Elizabeth Taylor fans will have another opportunity to view some of the most important jewels from her legendary collection.

The Beverly Hills Bulgari boutique on Rodeo Drive will showcase an eight-piece exhibit of Elizabeth Taylor’s jewels on Tuesday, according to published reports. The jewels are on display as a preview to the Academy Awards, which will be held Sunday.

Emerald and diamond suite.

The Italian luxury jewelry house purchased its own pieces during the record-breaking auction of Elizabeth Taylor’s jewels held at Christie’s New York in December 2011. Among the items on display are an emerald and diamond necklace that it bought for $6.1 million, setting records for an emerald jewel and emerald per carat; and an 8.26-carat emerald and diamond pendant brooch that Bulgari purchased for $6.5 million (both pictured above as part of the emerald and diamond suite). The brooch was Taylor's first piece of Bulgari jewelry, according to reports.

Another item is a sapphire and diamond sautoir that Bulgari bought at the auction for $5.9 million (top photo).

A special preview of the display will be held Tuesday from 11:30 a.m. till 1:30 p.m., according to reports.

Follow this link to view more of Taylor's jewels from the Christie's New York auction.

Please join me on the Jewelry News Network Facebook Page, on Twitter @JewelryNewsNet and on the Forbes Web site.

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A Titanic Jewelry Exhibition

Ring with sapphires and diamonds. Photo credit: RMS Titanic Inc.

Jewelry not only defines an individual’s personal style but it also provides an understanding of how people lived and what they valued at a given time in history. With this in mind an exhibition of jewels from the ill-fated RMS Titanic that opens Friday will attempt to help the public gain this understanding. It will be the first stop on a three-city tour that will end in May, 2013.

Filigree ring with diamonds. Photo credit: RMS Titanic Inc.

As everyone knows the British luxury passenger ship on its maiden voyage struck an iceberg and sank in the North Atlantic Ocean on April 15, 1912. A total of 1,502 passengers and crew, some of whom were among the wealthiest people of the time, were killed in the maritime accident. The sinking of the Titanic is considered one of the deadliest peacetime maritime disasters in modern history and it has captured the imagination of the public to this day.

The “Jewels of the Titanic” is a collection of 15 pieces of fine jewelry that gives a glimpse of how the wealthiest passengers traveled. Items on display include a hand-made platinum, 18k gold and diamond filigree ring; a gold ribbon brooch with diamonds; and a man’s green enamel and gold cufflinks and studs.

Ring with three diamonds. Photo credit: RMS Titanic Inc.

Alexandra Klingelhofer, VP of collections for RMS Titanic Inc., said most of the items that will be on display were found in a Gladstone bag uncovered during a research and recovery operation in 1987. The remaining items were found at various times during other recovery operations. RMS Titanic is a subsidiary of Premier Exhibitions, Inc., which owns the rights to salvage the shipwreck site.

The jewelry owners are unknown but other items inside the bag reveal that the valuables were entrusted to a purser, who was responsible for handling the money and other valuables inboard the ship, she said. It’s believed the purser was taking care of the bag himself instead of leaving it in the safe during the shipwreck. However, he, like all the other pursers, did not survive.

Ribbon brooch with diamonds. Photo credit: RMS Titanic Inc.

“The majority of the best-of-the-best, high-end pieces came from the Gladstone bag,” Klingelhofer said. “They’re beautiful, explicit, Edwardian pieces.”

Klingelhofer said that some of the items had been on display at various times over the years but this is the first time they will be featured together. The timing is part of the way the organization has been commemorating the 100-year anniversary of the shipwreck.

Green enameled gold cufflinks and studs. Photo credit: RMS Titanic Inc.

“We thought it would be a fitting end to the 100 year anniversary of the Titanic and that the jewelry would be highlighted in a different way as a mini-exhibit,” she said.

The jewelry will be on display at the three permanent Titanic exhibition spaces that are owned and operated by RMS Titanic and Premier Exhibitions, Inc. The dates and locations are as follows:

Atlanta
Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition
Premier Exhibition Center
Atlantic Station
Nov. 16 – Jan. 6, 2013

Orlando
Titanic The Experience
International Drive
Jan. 11, 2013 – March 12, 2013

Las Vegas
Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition
Luxor Hotel and Casino
Mar. 22, 2013 – May 31, 2013

Please join me on the Jewelry News Network Facebook Page, on Twitter @JewelryNewsNet and on the Forbes Web site.

Ring with sapphires and diamonds. Photo credit: RMS Titanic Inc.

Jewelry not only defines an individual’s personal style but it also provides an understanding of how people lived and what they valued at a given time in history. With this in mind an exhibition of jewels from the ill-fated RMS Titanic that opens Friday will attempt to help the public gain this understanding. It will be the first stop on a three-city tour that will end in May, 2013.

Filigree ring with diamonds. Photo credit: RMS Titanic Inc.

As everyone knows the British luxury passenger ship on its maiden voyage struck an iceberg and sank in the North Atlantic Ocean on April 15, 1912. A total of 1,502 passengers and crew, some of whom were among the wealthiest people of the time, were killed in the maritime accident. The sinking of the Titanic is considered one of the deadliest peacetime maritime disasters in modern history and it has captured the imagination of the public to this day.

The “Jewels of the Titanic” is a collection of 15 pieces of fine jewelry that gives a glimpse of how the wealthiest passengers traveled. Items on display include a hand-made platinum, 18k gold and diamond filigree ring; a gold ribbon brooch with diamonds; and a man’s green enamel and gold cufflinks and studs.

Ring with three diamonds. Photo credit: RMS Titanic Inc.

Alexandra Klingelhofer, VP of collections for RMS Titanic Inc., said most of the items that will be on display were found in a Gladstone bag uncovered during a research and recovery operation in 1987. The remaining items were found at various times during other recovery operations. RMS Titanic is a subsidiary of Premier Exhibitions, Inc., which owns the rights to salvage the shipwreck site.

The jewelry owners are unknown but other items inside the bag reveal that the valuables were entrusted to a purser, who was responsible for handling the money and other valuables inboard the ship, she said. It’s believed the purser was taking care of the bag himself instead of leaving it in the safe during the shipwreck. However, he, like all the other pursers, did not survive.

Ribbon brooch with diamonds. Photo credit: RMS Titanic Inc.

“The majority of the best-of-the-best, high-end pieces came from the Gladstone bag,” Klingelhofer said. “They’re beautiful, explicit, Edwardian pieces.”

Klingelhofer said that some of the items had been on display at various times over the years but this is the first time they will be featured together. The timing is part of the way the organization has been commemorating the 100-year anniversary of the shipwreck.

Green enameled gold cufflinks and studs. Photo credit: RMS Titanic Inc.

“We thought it would be a fitting end to the 100 year anniversary of the Titanic and that the jewelry would be highlighted in a different way as a mini-exhibit,” she said.

The jewelry will be on display at the three permanent Titanic exhibition spaces that are owned and operated by RMS Titanic and Premier Exhibitions, Inc. The dates and locations are as follows:

Atlanta
Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition
Premier Exhibition Center
Atlantic Station
Nov. 16 – Jan. 6, 2013

Orlando
Titanic The Experience
International Drive
Jan. 11, 2013 – March 12, 2013

Las Vegas
Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition
Luxor Hotel and Casino
Mar. 22, 2013 – May 31, 2013

Please join me on the Jewelry News Network Facebook Page, on Twitter @JewelryNewsNet and on the Forbes Web site.

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