CHAPTER 17

Principles of Jewelry Design

ALTHOUGH there are many principles of jewelry design, the six that are considered here are first in importance. They are: Fitness to Purpose, Unity between Stone and Ornament, Conformity with Personal Characteristics of the Wearer, Conformity with Costume, Nature and Distribution of Motifs, and Limitations and Possibilities of Metal as a Medium of Expression.

FITNESS TO PURPOSE

Every piece of jewelry must be designed to fit its purpose. Some pieces like the brooch, clasp, buckle, scarf pin, cuff links, and hatpin, may be designated as useful since they serve the purpose of a fastening for clothing. The ring, head ornament, pendant, bracelet, armlet, earring and lavaliere are used merely for personal adornment. As the savage used paint and tattoo to call attention to certain parts of the body, so people of modern times use ornamental jewelry. The ornament on useful jewelry is secondary to its practical value while that on decorative jewelry is of primary importance. Whether the piece of jewelry serves a useful or aesthetic purpose primarily or secondarily, it must fit the purpose for which it is used. It must be of such a nature as to conform to the surrounding conditions, must be duly related to the parts it is to adorn and must serve its purpose in an efficient way.

The ring is circular because it is to fit over the finger. For this reason it must be perfectly smooth on the inside and as it is to come in contact with the other fingers, it must be more or less smooth on the outside. The stone must not rise abruptly or too high above the shank since this would interfere with the freedom of the hand. The shank on the inside of the ring must narrow if the fingers are to close comfortably.

The brooch, which originally was used almost exclusively for holding together parts of the garment, seems to have a place in the ornamental as well as the useful jewelry. It often serves the purpose of a button; for this reason its shape was round, originally, but now the contour has assumed various shapes. Since it is used to hold fabrics it must be free from edges that would catch and tear. It must be made strong enough to hold its shape at all times.

The pendant, necklace, and lavaliere which are worn about the neck and hang over the breast are made up of one or more movable parts suspended on a chain. The pendant is worn over the blouse and must therefore be of a conspicuous size while the lavaliere is a delicate jewel pendant and worn with a low neckline. The gem is usually a small brilliant. It is sometimes used with a chain just long enough to go around the neck and to allow it to hang at the throat.

THE NECKLACE

The necklace is composed of jeweled or enameled units connected by one or more chains; some hang in festoons making a lace-like pattern on the breast. The jeweled units are often graded toward the ends from a pendant hanging in the middle. Necklaces are very frequently set with precious stones and bright enamel. The stones, when graded, produce a rhythmic effect of color. The lace effect is produced by a network of chain giving a rhythmic movement as it recedes from the central feature. In any case, the areas enclosed by the chains should receive careful consideration by the designer. The curves, which apparently begin and terminate on the main line of support, repeat themselves with decreasing or increasing wave-like movements as they lead the eye around.

Original designs suggested by the verbena

GIRDLES, CLASPS AND BUCKLES

Girdles, clasps and buckles have a practical rather than an ornamental use. The clasp is made of two pieces, one connecting the other by means of a hook. The buckle was formerly made of one piece, but is now made of two, and has taken the place of the clasp. The buckle as a clasp is made of two pieces, one piece having the hook and the other having the space to receive the hook. It is so designed as to make it difficult to discern the two separate pieces. As it often comes in contact with cloth the contour is usually extremely simple. A very common shape is one that is wider horizontally than vertically. This shape carries out the effect of the horizontal pull. It is made of rather heavy metal, enabling it to keep its shape and form when subject to strain.

THE SCARFPIN

The scarfpin is used to keep the tie in place. While the head is ornamented and attracts attention to the tie, it also keeps it from coming out because of the angular bend of the pin from the head down. As pressure is brought to bear on the pin it must be of sufficient thickness to withstand bending. Because it assumes a vertical position, its design should be constructed to impart an up and down effect. The hatpin is much like the scarfpin in principle. The head, which is the ornamented part, is usually a knob-like form and should be free from prongs or points. A stone is sometimes used as the central feature of the design.

THE CUFF BUTTON OR CUFF LINK

The cuff button or cuff link is made in various types. It may be a flat disc on the end of a thick curved wire with a bean on the other end, or it may be made of two discs connected with links. It is a necessity, inasmuch as men’s shirts are sometimes made without buttons on cuffs. The disc may be circular or elliptical, or even square or rectangular in shape. The outline is invariably simple as it must offer no resistance while being adjusted in place. Ornament employed should be low in relief, enamel sometimes being used. A stone or brilliant is sometimes set low in the metal or, if a large stone is used it is of a low cabochon cut. The wire connecting the two parts is bent in order to bring the cuffs together at the opening.

UNITY BETWEEN STONE AND ORNAMENT

Many gems, beautiful in color and accurately cut, are very frequently ruined by being improperly mounted. The aesthetic value of a stone lies in its color quality. Some stones possess rich and intense colors while others are soft and quiet in appearance. The hardness, transparency or opacity of the stone indicates the manner in which it should be mounted. Stones that are soft and breakable must of necessity be mounted so as to avoid wear.

The cabochon cut stones seem to retain more of the natural qualities than the faceted so perhaps have more charm when used with hand-wrought jewelry. Whether faceted or cabochon, this quality should be carried out in the design. When using stones that are light in color the student should avoid heavy or clumsy motifs. The spots should be rather light, small and delicate in appearance. The ornament, as a whole, should be so treated as to heighten the quality of the stone, making it not only a part of the whole scheme but the dominant feature.

The mounting is a very essential element in jewelry. The stone should not appear to rise abruptly out of the metal but should make its appearance gradually in gracing the whole design. Some stones, like the faceted, need to be set in prongs or in belcher settings since they demand much light to display their color to advantage. Others, like the opaque and soft stones, easily broken, must be protected by setting them low in the metal.

Circular designs in wire based on scrolls of various sizes

CONFORMITY WITH CHARACTERISTICS OF WEARER

Jewelry, like other forms of ornamentation, may be designed for either young or old and may reflect the personal characteristics of the wearer, and even made to express bereavement. Jewelry should be designed to be in keeping with the physical characteristics of the sex. That for gentlemen should be much heavier in design and carried out in a bolder form of ornamentation. The ring is the best example as a contrasting type since it is common to both sexes. The lady’s ring is always of a more delicate or dainty character, although the stone may be large in size. The shank is invariably very narrow with little if any design. On the other hand, the gentleman’s ring ranges from a medium to a large masculine size with a wide shank having more or less ornament. Men’s jewelry today is much less like that of women than in the cavalier’s time when both sexes dressed lavishly with luxuriant laces and velvets. Jewelry may be designed to comply with the traits of all ages. For children, it is not only of a small range but severely simple, possessing little if any ornament. Gems of value are rarely used in order that the charm and simplicity of child life may not be disturbed. Brilliant color effects of enamels and stones, richly ornamented with flowers, leaves and scrolls form the bulk of jewelry that appeals to the group that have come into the realm of appreciating the costly material. To this class the finely cut brilliants ornamented with rare and precious metal hold out many attractions. Then there is another kind of jewelry where the design is serious and serene, characterized by soft colors and ornament that is more passive than active. The quality of stones is perhaps less brilliant and sparkling than those used for the younger people. Jewelry is even capable of imparting sorrows and bereavements of life. The design in these cases is often of a straight line character with the customary black enamel.

Circular designs showing endless possibilities of the scroll unit

CONFORMITY WITH COSTUME

In order for jewelry to make its appeal it must be attractive enough to challenge other personal ornaments. The design should bear out the characteristic features of the costume. Costumes like those worn on the stage must be seen at a distance, they demand jewelry that will have its effect under the conditions cited. The power of attraction must be secured by the glitter of high polished surfaces and brilliants of various hues, so arranged as to harmonize with the gorgeous costumes. It should form part and parcel of the whole by permitting it to act as the keynote of the entire scheme. The kind of jewelry demanded by the peculiar conditions just mentioned would be very inappropriate for civilian dress. The civilian uses jewelry of normal size, noticeable only at close range. Again the character of the design for this particular jewelry may be made to carry out the style of dress by an ornament that conforms with the costume. If the design is characterized by ornament that suggests action and life it will harmonize with a dress that is perhaps more elaborate. Whatever be the costume, the jewelry should reflect these qualities both in color and in design.

NATURE AND DISTRIBUTION OF MOTIFS

The kind of ornament in a design is more important than even the manner of execution. Some natural forms lend themselves without reserve, especially those that have small forms and that repeat themselves with increasing or decreasing sizes. The leaf pattern with curling stems intersected by clusters of berries has offered many pleasing arrangements. Straight line interpretations delineating shapes of finely related spaces enhanced by fancy wire or granulations have resulted in most dignified and pleasing patterns. Material that seems of little consequence like the tendril with its twist branching out into curl-like lines has been used to develop the most charming and elaborate design. The spiral and the running scroll offers possibilities perhaps as no other motif. Whatever the motif chosen it must be in keeping with the character of the stone, and must be used so as to extoll its beauty. It must be arranged so that the stone is the center of interest. The interest of the motif may lead to the stone gradually, or it may be so arranged as to echo the shape in a concentric or eccentric manner. The motif should bear traces of unity by having a common element permeating the whole design.

LIMITATIONS AND POSSIBILITIES OF METAL AS A MEDIUM OF EXPRESSION

Every crude earthy substance or material that is capable of being transformed to a humanly useful object has its limitations and its possibilities. Metal is one of the few substances taken from the earth that is capable of unlimited transformation as is evidenced by various metallic objects in daily use. Gold, silver, and platinum may be rolled out into thin sheets or into the finest wire or made into almost any conceivable shape. These metals can be made into small forms or into granulations of minute sizes. They resist deformation and at the same time yield to the blow of a hammer, which makes them rank supreme among metals. Fortunately, these same metals are capable of receiving enamels to a much better degree than others used more extensively for commercial purposes. However, because these precious metals permit themselves to assume any form it is not in accordance with the principles of the fine arts to abuse this privilege by so treating motifs as to have natural lifelike ornament assume a lifelike appearance. Natural forms chased on the metal must assume a bas-relief effect, thereby retaining the flatness of the plane if they are to achieve their full beauty. Pierced work should not be so delicate as to cause the design to be weak or resemble lace-like patterns.

Brooches in gold and enamel

Jewelry display

When concentric circles are used as the basic design, the space between the circles lends itself to further design application