Following the societal upheaval of the First World War, the 1920s and 1930s were decades of immense transformation, stylistically now known as the Art Deco era. Women gained more autonomy in the workforce and in political spheres previously restricted to them, fashion become more individualized, and old norms were challenged. The Art Deco era also welcomed a dramatic shift in jewelry design. The soft, naturalistic tones used in the Art Nouveau style were replaced with dramatic contrasting colors achieved through the previously unconventional pairings of precious and semi-precious gemstones. Carved stones, rock crystal, jade, lapis-lazuli, turquoise, onyx, amethyst and aquamarine were all increasingly used in the jewels of the day to achieve the bold statement of identity and modern ideals exemplified by the Art Deco woman.

Significant new discoveries of aquamarine sources in Brazil at the turn of the 20th century democratized the gemstone’s use with its increased supply available to imaginative jewelry designers, turning aquamarine into a standout gemstone for the Art Deco period. Aquamarine’s water-like clarity matched the crisp white diamond accents and cool platinum popularized in the era. The increased use of the step-cut style of cutting gemstones showcased aquamarine’s clarity and serene color. Skilled jewelers such as Cartier capitalized on the public’s interest in aquamarine, most notably with the breathtaking twenty-seven requests for aquamarine and diamond tiaras placed in 1937 alone through Cartier’s London branch.

The Art Deco era released jewelry from the old hierarchy of a precious versus semi-precious evaluation of a jewel’s worth and importance. Refusing to be constricted by the intrinsic value of the underlying material’s worth, jewelers began to design around aesthetic qualities with a consideration that continues into the present day.