One of the most extraordinary pieces made in Tiffany’s jewelry workshop at the turn of the 20th century is a pink tourmaline iris brooch signed by George Paulding Farnham (1859-1927). Audrey Friedman, co-founder with her husband, Haim Manishevitz, of the Primavera Gallery, bought it at Christie’s in the early 1990s for their private collection. This summer I was lucky enough to meet with Audrey, examine the brooch and consider Paulding Farnham’s name in the jewelry world: from the peak...

Jewelry of the 1930's was different from the earlier Art Deco, although there were still some geometric elements present. Yellow gold was now in favor, and the hard geometry of Art Deco became softer and more sensual. Gold was now highly polished, and often curved and fluted. Single geometric elements, such as cubes or balls were preferred to the mix of geometric elements found in much Art Deco. Citrines became very popular, as they added texture and sparkle without adding another color.