The Symbolism of the Necklace
The necklace is the most conspicuous of adornments. The earclip is more subtle, because it performs a double function: it is to be noticed for its own beauty; at the same time, quietly and without advertising this aspect of its role, it helps to shape the contour of the head and to bring out a radiant glow in the countenance. In the necklace, the importance of these functions is reversed. The jewel worn around the neck can play a part in moulding the personality and enhancing its highlights—it must always be chosen with these things in mind, but its major purpose is display.
Because of its prominence, the necklace from early times has been a symbol of high office. It was worn by kings and was reserved for those to be specially honored, as soldiers returning from victorious campaigns. It is still part of the ceremonial regalia of priests of various religions.
The universal employment of the necklace as an article of feminine adornment has led to its almost complete withdrawal from the masculine wardrobe. For formal occasions, however, it is still used to designate rank or honorary station, in some variation of the wide band that goes around the neck and comes down to, or is fastened at, the belt. In the United States, for example, the President signalizes the bravest soldiers by placing around their necks the Congressional Medal of Honor.
For most of its uses, the necklace is donned without any sense of this long symbolic history. Yet it may not be too imaginative to find an echo of this significance in the romantic gesture with which a man places a beautiful necklace around the neck of his beloved.
The General Effect
Being the most prominent article of personal adornment, the necklace requires considerate care. Poorly chosen for the particular individual—no matter how attractive the jewel in itself—it may make a woman seem overdressed. Stones of the wrong color may make her skin look sallow. A heedlessly selected style may emphasize wrinkles in the neck. With proper thought, however, the right necklace, well fitted, not only presents its own beauty but adds youth and beauty to the chinline and neck of the wearer.
The saying that a woman is as old as she looks gains further truth from the powers of jewelry to contribute to the color of the skin and the lines of the body. The lines that curve upward from the shoulders to the head have much to do with the general impression of youthfulness, vigor and health, or of drab weariness, fatigue, and age. And it is along these lines that even the most beautiful woman draws on the aid of the necklace and seeks not just the beautiful but the beautifying jewel.
The Diamond Necklace
The sparkle of the diamond necklace suits any complexion and enhances the glow of any skin. Unfortunately, its use is restricted to special occasions, which alas too seldom shed their brilliance upon one’s crowded year. At opening night of the Horse Show or the Opera, the diamond necklace is worn, as at the season’s Charity Ball or a Gala Concert. It is appropriate, also, at formal receptions and, of course, should always accompany a woman on a trip abroad.
The Rivière
One of the most attractive, dressiest and most timeless styles in the diamond necklace is that single strand of diamonds, the straight line necklace, known as the rivière, or river of light. Whether the diamonds are uniform, that is, all of equal size, or graduated around the neck with the largest centered in front, nothing should be allowed to interfere with the incomparable beauty of the gems. No medallions of precious metal should be allowed between. The one concern of the jeweler should be to achieve the flowing sequence of perfect solitaires, in one accordant interplay, a cascading river of brilliance and sparkle.
Care must be taken with the fitting of the rivière so that none of the diamonds will overturn when it is worn. An expert craftsman knows that the first requirement is the pre-shaping of the mountings, before the stones are set, to conform not only to the shape but also to the movements of the neck. A painstaking jeweler may make a plaster cast of the lovely neck and shoulders which are to receive the rivière; upon this cast he can form the rounding jewel. Every good jeweler possesses some of the skills of the sculptor.
The round diamond solitaire rivière is, beyond all compare, the most brilliant and regal of necklaces. The fireworks of light, constantly flashing from gem to gem, echoing and re-echoing their sparkle, give to the skin a soft and velvety glow.
The Baguette Necklace
Another beautiful diamond necklace, almost as attractive as the round solitaires, is one made of baguette diamonds. It is both more sedate in mood and more modern in style. The baguette necklace, moreover, while it is beautiful in its sole array of diamonds, may also be worn with further adornment—a diamond motif or clip or tassel, of which more will be said in connection with other necklaces.
The rivière necklace, round or baguette, is often made so that it can be separated to form two bracelets. It is thus a flexible jewel and can be used on the arm when the informality of the occasion would make the all-diamond necklace less appropriate.
The Pearl Necklace
Although the diamond necklace, especially the unsurpassed rivière, is worn only on the most special occasions, there is hardly ever an occasion on which a properly chosen pearl necklace is out of place. The pearl necklace is the most beloved as well as the most versatile of all such jewels. The simplest tailored suit will be graced by a tailored choker, or by one or two strands of well-matched pearls. The pearl necklace can be worn on a sweater, a high-neck dress, a V-neck dress, a low-cut gown. I have seen one, though I do not recommend it, worn with a bikini; and one, doubled about the ankle, taking the place of the thin “slave chain” of gold.
The pearl necklace looks proper on a simple lass in her teens, and it graces the frail or fuller charms of an elderly lady. While it is thus general in its range of use, it is by no means indiscriminate in its bounty; the shade and the size of pearls must be carefully selected in order for their harmony to enhance the wearer.
The Colors of the Pearl
There are innumerable shades of pearls from which to choose. They vary from chalk white through rose pink to dark cream. Some of them are greyish or brownish; these may be becoming if suited to the complexion. The general whiteness we first associate with the pearl is overlaid with these other tones in softest lustre.
The simplest way of selecting the tint of pearl that will add its glow to the complexion is to lay the strand against the inside of the wrist. Each strand should be moved slowly back and forth and compared with the skin tones. Usually one lustre of the pearls, one particular tint, will bring out a velvety glow on the skin. This is the proper complementary shade for the complexion. In making such a choice, it is well to take counsel from the trained observation of a reliable jeweler.
For the Brunette
For a brunette, or someone with well-tanned skin, care must be taken lest the pearls be too white. This will cause a dulling of the glow of the skin. The wrist test described above will reveal that, for the brunette, cream-colored pearls are the best.
For the Blonde and the Redhead
Either a blonde or a redhead, with a fair complexion, will find the virtues of her skin enhanced by pearls of a pinkish hue. Especially on a blonde, pearls can be most attractive.
For platinum hair, however, more than the complexion must be considered. In such cases, the wrist test is not enough. The pearls should be laid against the hair, as though to form a head-band. Usually platinum hair will accord with pearls of a greyish-white tint.
Properly chosen pearls will withstand the variations in skin shades due to the seasons. The fairer skin of winter, the summer’s burn or tan, do not affect the underlying pigmentation which harmonizes with the lustre of the pearl.
A woman gives time and thought to the selection of a harmonious shade of lipstick or nail polish; she should take more pains with the selection of the more permanent and more important necklace of pearls.
For a Long Neck
A woman with a long neck will find that its length seems diminished if the necklace is of the choker type, fitted very closely into the nape of the neck. It should be of uniform size all around, not tapering down towards the back. If the neck is thin, it may be made to seem quite attractive in a chiffon scarf with the necklace over it.
For a Wide Neck
A tapering necklace, loosely worn, with a prominent center pearl, will tend to pull together the lines of a neck that is wide. A double strand necklace, hanging with some space between the strands to make it airier, will also counteract the sense of width. For a slimming effect, a tight necklace should be avoided.
Large beads will make a neck look smaller but must not be worn if the neck is both full and short With a short neck, a long string of pearls or beads may be draped loosely over a dress with a low neckline, without collar or scarf. If the strands are properly arranged, close together or loose as the neck demands, more than one strand may be worn no matter how the neck is fashioned.
Size of Pearls
The size of the pearl is also to be considered. On a long neck, it is wiser to have the pearls all of one size. On a wider neck, they will be more attractive if they are graduated, smaller ones at the back and around the sides, then growing toward a large central pearl at the front.
Note that with a young girl large pearls are not in good taste. A string of smaller, well chosen and well matched pearls is impeccable and charming.
The Proper Stringing of Pearls
Once a fine strand of pearls has been selected, it should be strung so as to gain full advantage from its own lustre. The glow of pearls is enhanced by their reflection; the closer they are to one another, the more beautiful they all look. Knots, sometimes fashioned between pearls to strengthen their stringing, should never be made in the front of the necklace. But if this is done, for reasons of safety, the pearl stringer must take care to make the knots extremely small and very close with no gaps showing between the pearls. The rhythm of the well-matched pearl necklace with the highlights moving from one pearl to the next should not be disturbed by improper stringing. When a string breaks, it is virtually always near the clasp; knots, therefore, should be made for the five pearls on each side of the clasp. This is usually enough for safety and does not interfere with the beauty of the jewel.
The Necklace Clasp
Whatever the necklace, it must have a clasp. For a single strand, the clasp should be small and worn in the back. A large clasp is apt to turn or become entangled in the hair.
With a pearl necklace, a clasp of a colored stone, such as a ruby or an emerald, will make an effective complement, highlighting the pearls; but for any necklace a diamond clasp offers perfect harmony. A frequently available diamond to use for such a clasp may be found nestling next to the little finger of the left hand—the diamond of the engagement ring, “grown too small along the years.” Such a stone has lost none of its sentimental value. Its sparkle and the memory of courtship nights may be preserved in a necklace clasp.
Designs for Clasps
A larger necklace of double or triple strands naturally calls for a more elaborate clasp. Such a clasp should not be merely a functional piece to hold the necklace together; it should be chosen for its own beauty and harmony. Often such a clasp, with the holding mechanism hidden, is worn in the front.
An effective design, in excellent taste with most jewels, may be fashioned in a flower motif with a black pearl in the centre. A smart-looking clasp, consisting of round diamonds and baguettes, can be made to separate into as many smaller clasps as the necklace has strands. One may thus wear a single necklace of, say, three strands, or three separate necklaces at the same time or on different occasions. Different lengths and combinations of necklaces can be arranged, in this way, to suit the mood or various degrees of décolleté. Clipped together, the whole clasp forms a beautiful ornament at the back of the necklace.
For Formal Wear
With a strapless evening gown, where the line of the back should be uninterrupted, another pattern of necklace and clasp lends distinction to the ensemble. This is an arrangement of three to five strands in the front, with only two or, at most, three smaller strands, close together in the back. There are two motifs, one on each side, separating the back strands from the ones in front; one of these motifs conceals the clasp. The two motifs, which may be of diamonds or of gold, should be visible only from the front, so as to preserve the graceful lines of the back décolleté; they can be highly decorative while remaining less formal or less pretentious than a necklace of diamonds.
When wearing such a many-stranded necklace, long earclips, at other times suitable to an evening gown, should be eschewed; the combination will seem overdone. The two clasps and the strands of pearls will be sufficiently eloquent, if worn together with regular, not pendant, earrings.
The Sentimental Clasp
A clasp may often be fashioned of an heirloom. There may be a brooch or a ring which has been passed along in a family for generations or been linked with personal and sentimental episodes and memories. Or there may be a piece of jewelry which a woman does not wish to abandon—yet which has fallen out of style. What may look old-fashioned on the dress front may preserve all its beauty as a clasp. Indeed, an old piece of jewelry, without altering the setting, may in this way be incorporated into a necklace. The very beautiful early Victorian or baroque flower brooches, for example, and rings and ornamental pins of those styles, may readily be converted into clasps for a two- or three-strand necklace. A brooch may become a centerpiece to be worn in the front, or it can give an unusual but becoming effect worn at the side. Carefully fitted to sit at the proper place at one side of the neck, such a clasp adds distinction to the contour.
Fitting the Pearl Necklace
A properly chosen pearl or bead necklace can do much to counterbalance features of the neck. Few women realize this and therefore do not pay sufficient attention to their choice. They spend less time on this than on the selection of a hat. Yet I have seen cases where as little as one-eighth of an inch difference in length made all the difference in the world in beauty.
For a long neck, the necklace should be short and rest on or a little above the nape of the neck. For a shorter and wider neck, the necklace should come a little below the nape to create an oval rather than a round impression. A heavy neck can be deftly dressed in three or four strands. The first strand should nestle slightly below the nape of the neck with just a little space left between the rows—too much will give the effect of a dowager. Properly spaced, such a necklace will create a slender and youthful appearance. A motif on each side, by breaking the even line, will further create an effect of a longer and more slender neck.
The Bead Necklace
For thousands of years the lapidaries of India have painstakingly, by hand, cut, polished and pierced rubies to fashion them into beads for necklaces. The often uneven shape is preserved so that the slight irregularity of the beads both stresses their preciousness and adds to their charm. Ruby beads are usually strung on silk or on platinum wire, as are beads of emeralds and sapphires. The beautiful glow of these precious stones is soft and flattering, no less so when interspersed with motifs of brilliant diamonds and baguettes. Such an array of rubies or deep sapphires, directly touching the radiant skin, is a breathtaking sight.
Fashions From India
The Indian Maharanees, visiting the leading fashion centers of the world less than a century ago, came with large assortments of these precious gems. The many-stranded necklace, first seen in the gorgeous costuming of the Eastern lands, created a new fashion in the western world. Today every elegant occasion is sure to be graced with some of these necklaces of rare and exquisite beauty.
I once had the pleasure of designing for Her Highness Indira Dewi, the Maharanee of Cooch-Behar, a parure of ruby beads: earrings, necklace, bracelet and ring of enormous stones, all combined with diamonds. My first visit with Her Highness held me amazed. She opened a great cowhide coffer which contained an unforgettable assortment of pouches made of the finest gold brocade; they held a veritable dream of riches. Rubies, sapphires, emeralds poured forth—thousands of carats in each pouch. I watched, as though in a vision of Aladdin’s cave, while this glimpse of the Orient was spread before me.
It was much as the Elizabethan poet Christopher Marlowe pictured in his dream of the Orient splendor:
Other Necklace Jewels
Necklaces are, of course, wrought with many other stones. There are soft and Battering shades of aquamarine, turquoise, amethyst, lapis lazuli, the frequent coral and the aristocratic jade—to name but a few—that look superb on a proud neck. Earclips and rings may usually be worn to match. Such parures and semiprecious stones make ideal sets for daytime wear, especially, since they combine delightfully with cotton and with chintz, for a young, fresh, summertime effect.
Coral may be used in almost any range of red, from deep ox-blood to the most delicate hue of pink. The white corals, especially chalk-white, are unbecoming to most shades of skin and are not recommended save for that summer shade regretfully called “new sunburn.” Whatever the stones, the color of the necklace should be chosen with regard to the more usual complexion so that the brightness of the jewels adds an accordant glow to the skin.
The Necklace of Gold
Today the gold necklace is worn in endless variety. It may be narrow or wide; simple or elaborate; classical, antique or modern.
A tailored gold necklace can be worn throughout the day. It is likely to have rather heavy links, and the brightness of the gold will shed lovely highlights on the skin. Or it may be fashioned of twisted wire, sometimes in multicolored gold, thereby creating a three-dimensional effect in the design. Here again the jewel shows how akin the goldsmith is to the sculptor.
The dressier types of necklace are worn quite wide. They are daintily made, woven to deserve the name “neck-lace.” Being fashioned of fine metal into open work, they are flexible and follow the movements of the neck. Such a gold necklace can be touched with diamonds or colored stones, so as to create a lively interplay of highlights which brighten the soft glow of the skin. The metal should be chosen so as to capture not the brazen but the softer qualities of the gold.
Appendages: The Tassel
A charming variation from the plain band around the neck is achieved by the addition of a tassel. The knot of this may be a tight band of gold, plain or centered with a diamond. The hanging cords may be links or chains or tiny medallions of gold; they may be many strands of pearls; or they may be baguette and round diamonds in a tumbling cascade. There is something especially feminine, and pleasantly gay, in a tassel. Its constant motion keeps it ever freshly beautiful.
The tassel may be worn, for a change, gaily swinging from the jacket as a lapel pin, but it is at its best on the necklace. There it will usually hang from the center; but it should be made detachable so that, with certain dresses, it may be put on the necklace at the side to give a different, piquant air to the ensemble.
Appendages: The Single Drop
At the height of mid-century necklace fashion is the addition of the single drop. This should not be long, like a pendant, but rather one large extra stone, clipped on close to the collier to add chic and smartness. It may be a pear-shaped diamond, a grey or a black pearl, an emerald, or indeed any stone that harmonizes with the necklace color—though most frequently such a drop is worn on a necklace of diamonds or pearls. The single stone is set with an almost invisible clasp and can be attached to the necklace at any point desired. Resultant effects can be startling. The appearance of the necklace may be completely transformed; a daytime jewel may be transmuted to evening elegance. Various moods can be deftly suggested, or stressed, by the clever placing of the jewel drop.
Transformations
The construction of a necklace so that it can be transformed, as I suggested before in connection with the rivière, marks an increasing aspect of jewelry design. The diamond necklace, appropriate only to the off-shoulder evening gown and adorning only the most formal occasions, spends more time in the treasure chest or vault than any other jewel. Its usefulness is increased many-fold when it is so created that it comes apart to form bracelets and clips and other jewels more frequently worn.
The devising of detachable parts and convertible jewels is no new-fangled practice. It began in France before the French Revolution, first gaining popularity with a social élite that initiated many fashions. Many eighteenth and nineteenth century necklaces also served as tiaras. Jewels in our museums today testify to the great skill and ingenuity with which the earlier artists cunningly contrived and concealed the mechanical devices that made possible these transformations.
My Own Conversions
One of my own most exacting assignments was to create such a necklace for a beautiful Viennese ballerina. It was specified that the necklace should separate to form a bracelet and five clips of various sizes. Two of these were to form an assorted pair of dress clips; two were to be matched for the ears; one was to be larger, to serve as a brooch but with an attachment so that it might also become a hair ornament. The completed necklace, which was really a unified parure, was put on exhibition, bringing me my first Gold Medal für Schönheit und Kunst at the Künstlerhaus.
Another of my necklaces, displayed in color in Vogue Magazine, is separable into two bracelets, of different size and design, and a large dip that can be used on a dress or as the centerpiece in other jewels.
Other convertibles suggest themselves, once the imagination begins to play. It must be remembered that the problem is complex, because it is not simply a question of what other jewels a main piece can be broken into. The major concern is how well all the transformations fit the personality of the individual who is to wear them.
I have designed a diamond-encircled ring, the main piece of which is a diamond rose. The center stone of this rose may be changed, so that a ruby, emerald or pearl can be set in, according to the mood, the occasion and the color of the gown. Also, the entire diamond rose may be detached to become a brooch or a main attachment on a bracelet.
Another of my convertible jewels is a diamond necklace that can be used as a choker or, by the addition of platinum chains, can be lengthened in various sizes. It may also, with the help of the platinum chains, be turned into two bracelets. Still another convertible—of which there can be many motifs—is a fan-rosette clip, made to slide so smoothly onto a diamond necklace that the two become one jewel.
I have found it a challenge to devise necklaces convertible into other unusual jewels; many of these have been exhibited and shown on newsreels throughout the world.
What a Woman Wears, Others See
A mirror is the nearest a woman looking at her jewels can come to the world’s viewpoint. She wears the jewels; others should admire the effect. And they will only if the complexion, the contours and the personality have all been wrought into harmony in the selection of the jewel. The completely garbed and adorned woman is the jewel.
Few women can buy a different necklace for each garment they are likely to wear. A well chosen necklace should be attractive whether worn close to a high-neck dress or above an off-shoulder gown. It should be tried on with both types of dress before being bought.
A good jeweler will not only permit but encourage such a practice. He will lend his counsel out of his wide experience. He will probably be more interested in making a woman happy than in making a sale. (Even from the point of view of his own financial advantage, this is a wise, long-range view. And no woman should go to a jeweler whose interest in her will not be long-range.) In addition to a good jeweler, there should be another male more nearly concerned, whose opinion is valued. But the woman herself has to face the world with her jewels. They are her adjuncts and intimate accessories to beauty. In the final choice she must remember that the necklace, most prominent of her jewels, must capture her own personality and tastefully proclaim her character.