Section Two

Part I: Unifying Elements

Jewelry brands often produce a collection of pieces based on one or more unifying elements. This is easy to do when the pieces in a group are stylistically an exact match.

The bracelet in the Trifari set shown above was purchased several years after the necklace and earrings. It is an exact match in several ways.

• It features the same emerald cabochon stones set in groups of three.
• All the stones are pasted-in, even the emerald cabochons.
• The prongs are for decoration.
• The metal work features curving shapes with textured lines.

These are unifying design elements that clearly certify that the bracelet is part of the same design group as the necklace and earrings.

Sometimes design groups include one or more pieces that coordinate with the other pieces in a group, but do not exactly match. These pieces fit in the group because they contain most of the unifying elements in the group, but also exhibit one or more design variations.

For example, all the pieces shown below are part of the same Trifari design group.

They all feature white pearls contrasting with black diamond (smoke) rhinestones, areas of pavé crystal rhinestones, and rhodium plated metal. This set dates to the late 1950s to the 1960s when jewelry with black diamond (smoke) rhinestones was popular.

The design of the bracelet does not exactly match the design of the necklace and earrings. The necklace and brooch share tear-drop shaped black diamonds set in semi-circle curves. The bracelet features pavé rhinestones, black diamond rhinestones and silver tone metal, but does not include the fan-shaped curves. The bracelet does not have any dangling pearls. The geometric design of the bracelet coordinates with the design of the necklace and brooch but does not exactly match.

Brand Traits

Brands like Trifari often have consistent design traits. An experienced collector is able to identify Trifari jewelry without first looking at the signature because they recognize the Trifari brand traits.

Brand traits associated with vintage Trifari include:

• Pasted-in high-quality stones, sometimes with faux prong set stones.
• Average size, wearable designs.
• Frequent use of pearls.
• Lasting gold tone or rhodium plating over Trifari’s special, non-tarnishing metal alloy called Trifarium patented in 1947.
• Innovative classic designs.
• Innovative use of materials.
• Recognizable “flat” area on the pin where it attaches to the hinge
• Often the tips of the leaves are folded and decorated with pavé stones

It is important to remember that not all these traits are present in each piece of Trifari jewelry and not all Trifari jewelry designs adhere to these guidelines. These traits are frequently associated with Trifari but not exclusive to Trifari. Experienced collectors recognize these brand traits and can often identify a Trifari design without first looking for the signature.

The following examples provide further illustrations of Trifari brand traits and provide practice in identifying them.

Example 1:

Consider the three pins shown below. All three of these pins are Trifari and they date to the 1960s. The Trifari brand traits are easily identifiable.

Left: Pink Carnation detailed views

The pink enamel carnation pin has easily identified Trifari traits. It is an average size pin with pasted-in rhinestones. The back view shows the recognizable “flat” area on the pin where it attaches to the hinge.

Author’s Note:

Experienced collectors study Trifari vintage advertisements. This design is featured in a 1964 Trifari advertisement for a series of Trifari enameled flower pins. It originally came on a display card titled Carnation. This advertisement can be found at www.morninggloryantiques.com under 1960s Trifari advertisements. Other flowers in the series include a yellow Poppy, blue Cornflowers, pink Tulip, a single red Rose, and a bouquet of red Roses. Each sold for between $3 and $5 and feature gold plating over Trifarium.

Middle: Gold tone floral pin detailed views

This pin is a traditional Trifari gold, pearl, and crystal rhinestone floral design. It dates from the 1960s to the 1970s and has the recognizable flat Trifari pin back (not shown). Note the texture of the back. Trifari produced an abundance of this type of pearl, crystal rhinestone jewelry. It is average in size, classic in design, and features an interesting, graceful design. Collectors quickly recognize the elegant lines, quality manufacture, and Trifari plating.

Right: Green enamel floral detailed views

This lovely little Trifari design features pasted in pearls and gold plated Trifarium. The curving green enameled leaves add color, movement, and interest to the design. It is a wearable size and has the expected flat Trifari pin back. The texture of the back is similar to the middle floral design.

This design is featured in a 1967 advertisement titled ”Enamels…Here, There, and everywhere.” This advertisement is shown at www.morninggloryantiques.com. Although made at the same time as the middle floral, the design of this piece is elevated by its inclusion in the Trifari advertisement.

Example 2:

Trifari produced beautiful jewelry for decades. The fashions and manufacturing techniques evolved over time. Some Trifari brand traits remain consistent, and some traits vary over time.

The following three Trifari clips date from the 1940s to the early 1950s. Each clip exhibits Trifari brand traits found in the early designs.

The wreath pin on the left features unusual semi-circle stones. They were advertised in a 1950 Trifari advertisement “For a Jewelry of a Mother” as Clair de Lune stones. Most Trifari jewelry features pasted-in stones, however, in this design the Clair de Lune stones are prong-set.

There is no known design patent for the lovely Trifari clip shown below. It likely dates to the early 1940s. The age can be inferred by comparing the design traits of this piece with known Trifari patents.

Trifari floral designs in the early 1940s often featured enameled stems, pearls, and pavé stones. They are usually larger in size than later designs.

This clip features pasted-in, pavé stones accented with pearls. The design has the grace and movement associated with Trifari. The clip mechanism is typical of early 1940 era clips. Instead of a c-clasp to hold the prongs, this pin has a tiny hook at the bottom of the prongs. This helps to secure the clip to the fabric.

The vintage beauty below is design patent number D122,339 issued to Trifari in 1940. It features a trio of blue cabochon stones, blue enamel, pavé crystal rhinestones, and a typical early 1940s Trifari clip. The bottom leaf is curved and decorated with crystal stones.

The use of blue enamel to accent the design is an early Trifari trait.

Trifari jewelry, though the decades, is consistently pleasing to the jewelry “eye”. The excellent designs are timeless. It is wearable, it is durable, and it is not boring! It is worthwhile to study the advertisements, study the known patents, and learn to recognize Trifari design traits.

Author’s Note: Trifari jewelry is featured in Chapter Two which includes further identification of Trifari brand traits.

Part II: Practice Identifying Design Elements and Unifying Brand Traits

Each of the following example features a Monet design group. The unifying elements that tie each piece to the design group are identified.

Example 1:

The following is a lower-end necklace and earrings set from the same design group.

The high-end and lower-end designs are stylistically similar and interchangeable. The earrings from one set coordinate with the other. The pin from the collar necklace group works with the smaller necklace. This is because both sets share several unifying traits: the aurora borealis sheeting, the same rose gold plating, and a geometric grid design.

Review of the Six Design Elements from Chapter One

• Shape: Squares, triangles, and rectangles are artistically placed to frame the aurora borealis sheeting.
• Line:  Curving lines break the grid of rectangles to add interest and softness to the design.
• Color:  The rose gold triple-plating compliments the soft blues of the aurora borealis sheeting. Pink and blue can be viewed as opposites even though pink and blue are not strictly complementary colors. Part of this is due to the cultural depiction of pink for girls and blue for boys. In the Monet design, the hues of each color are important for this combination to be effective. 
• Contrast: The main contrast in this design is the soft rose plating and the geometrically framed aurora borealis sheeting.
• Visual Weight: The rose gold plating has the strongest visual weight in this design. The lines of rose gold direct the eye to the grid and then to the aurora borealis sheeting. Larger rose gold links draw the “eye” to the curves of the collar necklace.
• Balance: The collar necklace is a symmetrical design with asymmetrical elements, so the “eye” sees it as symmetrical. The asymmetry of each component is well-balanced by the masterful use of line, color, and contrast.

Conclusion:

A dedicated collector researches the vintage brand advertising, learns to identify unifying brand traits, and recognizes the six basic design elements in each piece of jewelry. Chapter Two examines example jewelry from several vintage jewelry brands. Basic historical information is given but the emphasis is on design. Due to the flexibility of online publishing, Chapter Two is a reference chapter that will be added to over time.