A Tiara or Two...

So my husband says, "Where are you wearing THAT?!"  I says, to clean my closet, go to the loo or even for a grand night out.

A tiara or two...

The Cartier tiaras all belonged to Mary, Duchess of Roxburghe who sounded like a dame of the best sort.  Her husband, the Duke of Roxburghe had their butler bring them breakfast and divorce papers upon a silver tray.  The Duke tried to get the Duchess kicked out of the castle and she holed up in a room for six weeks despite the Duke turning off the water, electricity, food... The townspeople, who were very fond of the Duchess, brought her food which she lifted up to her room via a bucket and rope out the window.

This tiara can also be worn as a necklace.  The diamonds are tremblant - as am I : )

The tiaras had been packed away in newspaper in 1953 after their divorce and sealed with a wax seal... how amazing is that?!  Must have been so much fun opening those yellowed packets of newspaper to find a glittering Cartier tiara! 

The Duchess of Roxburghe's tiaras on Sothebys employees...

xo, Juliana

Put a Bib On

I was recently in Solange Azagury-Patridge's red jewel box of a store on Madison when I saw her gold lacquered Supernature bib necklace with its abundance of birds, snakes, snails, bunnies, ladybugs, ponies, flamingos, pandas...

It is soooo fabulous and fun.

It also reminded me of a very whimsical and modern take on Daisy Fellowes' Cartier Hindu necklace:

I would be happy with either or happiest with both : )

xo, Juliana

The Duchess of Windsor's Cartier Cats

I love this photo of the Duchess of Windsor taken at the opening of the Lido Revue in Paris in 1959.

She is wearing quite a bit of major jewelry but somehow it all works and does look like too much.  The dress with its tight lace bodice and her hair are all a perfect frame to highlight her jewelry.  On her right arm is a stunning Cartier tiger bracelet that the Duke of Windsor bought for her from Cartier in the 1950s.  

The Duchess of Windsor's Tiger Bracelet and matching brooch were sold in 1987 to Andrew Lloyd Weber who bought them for his then wife, Sarah Brightman.

I don't think they look quite as good on Ms. Brightman as they did on the Duchess of Windsor.  The tigers look a little sad, a little lost on Ms. Brightman.  The Duke of Windsor had a good eye and knew what suited his Wallis.  Now, they are set to go to auction in Geneva in November at Christies.  

I hope the tigers come to New York for a visit before the auction...  

xo, Juliana

Dream Jewels: Barbara Hutton's Jadite, Ruby and Diamond Necklace

I was completely and totally taken with a beautiful strand of milky clear jade beads with a diamond and ruby clasp that had belonged to Barbara Hutton and was recently acquired by Cartier. 

Barbara Hutton's Jadeite Necklace recently acquired by Cartier.  Photo from Cartier.

And if I had a spare $27.44 million, honey, I would have been on the phone to Hong Kong bidding against Cartier for them.  Alas, I do not have the $27.44 million or the necklace...  But hopefully Cartier will exhibit the necklace and I can go see it, close my eyes and imagine I am wearing it.  It looks so beautifully tactile in the photos, I can just imagine how wonderful those cool green jade beads feel against the skin...

I am sure you know the story of the poor little rich girl Barbara Hutton, the Woolworth heiress who was born into great wealth, liked fast men and an extravagant lifestyle, burned through an enormous fortune and died poor, living in a hotel with $3,500 in her bank account.

According to Cartier, the necklace was a gift from her father in 1933, when Hutton married the first of her seven husbands, Prince Alexis Mdvani.  In 1934 Hutton commissioned from Cartier the current clasp which is set in yellow gold with calibré-cut rubies and baguette-cut diamonds.

Barbara Hutton at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York in 1933 wearing the jade necklace.

She also commissioned from Cartier a ring to match.  

love, kisses and keep on dreaming, Juliana

RARE vintage's Saturday Total Utter Ridiculous Fabulousness! Cartier

A Cartier bag given to Princess Mdvini by her sister-in-law Barbara Hutton is RARE vintage's totally, utterly, ridiculously fabulous Saturday!  And I want it!  Excuse me whilst I go sob into my pillow...

5 Years 5 Gifts Vintage Contest Winner

Can I just say, wouldn't it be wonderful if we all had a Grandmother who would give us a 1920s compact from Cartier?!  Grazie per la bella storia!  A winning entry from Italy:

"I'm a follower from Italy. I love your blog and your gorgeous vintage pieces and I'd like to thank you for the beautiful contest you've made for your blog anniversary (HAPPY ANNIVERSARY then!! )

I'd like to share this story about this little treasure that my grandma gave to me.

She was a beautiful woman and she was very fond of theater and italian literature and poems. She was very special, a brilliant mind, acute observer and a very couragious person.  

I had few time to share with her but it was one of the best of my life because she was able to open up my mind and let me appreciate every little detail was surrounding me. 

She gave me many precious objects, this one is my favourite, a tiny compact (evening minaudiere) in 18k yellow gold and enamels, it's from the twenties and comes from Cartier store in Paris.

I keep it in a little drawer with a white lace handkerchief and a b/w photo of her and when I open this drawer i see her face smiling at me and I remember the precise moment she gave me the compact and how funny she was explaining me how to accept a date.... 

Ciao"

Do as the Duchess

This holiday why don't you do as the Duchess of Windsor and swan about in a well, a large swan brooch from Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel.

The Duchess of Windsor had the most spectacular jewelry collection and a definite sense of style.  Wallis Simpson was not a great beauty but absolutely made the most out of what she had by being true to herself and what looked good on her.  It was a look Bettina Ballard would have described as defining the "hard chic" of the 1930s.  But in Cecil Beaton's 1937 romantic photos of her wedding trouseau for Vogue in which the bride to be wore an ethereal (and my dream gown I might add.  How I would love to find this dress for myself.  Ooops!  I mean for RARE☺) fluttering organdy lobster print dress by Elsa Schiaparelli at the Chateau de  Candé.

In Cecil Beaton's book 'Photography' he remembers Wallis Simpson at this time having "the trim  silhouette of a Chinese figurine".

Recently someone made a very good return on their investment with the sale of some of the jewelry formerly from the collection of the Duchess of Windsor.  Included was this exceptional flamingo brooch made for the Duchess by Cartier in 1940.

So why don't you do as the Duchess and wear this impressive large scale three-dimensional swan brooch from Chanel.  It is spectacular and special as well as very rare and an excellent collector's piece.  (Wouldn't this make an incredible gift for the Duchess in your life?  And that Duchess may be you!!)

The swan is covered in faux pearls and has a jeweled blue eye.  Attached to the swan is a jeweled cruciform shaped medallion with ruby, pearl and turquoise cabochons and attached to that is a drop pearl.  More, more, more is how Karl likes it!

A flight of fancy.

Signed Chanel.  Made in France.

Early 1980s Chanel Swan Brooch.

You can also do as the Duchess by wearing this anonymous gold panther belt from the 1960s.

From the Sotheby's catalog:  "The Duchess of Windsor had several 'cat' jewels in her collection which began with the emerald brooch in 1948 and this particular area of her collection was continued to be added to over the next twenty years."

Images from Sothebys

I know, I know you were just outbid at the last moment on the Duchess of Windsor's articulated Cartier panther bracelet.  ☹ $4,200,000 was my cut off too (☺)

But don't be depressed because we have this very fab gold coil belt with two gold panther heads.  Most of what we have at RARE is designer but I especially love finding anonymous pieces like this that are cool and fun.  And cost WAY less then a Cartier panther! 

Maybe the cat jewelry was Wallis Simpson's way of saying, I am the Duchess of Windsor, hear me roar!

Anonymous 1960s panther belt.

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