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David Webb is an American jewelry maker who founded his company in 1948. He is renown for high quality jewelry and in particular his animal jewelry.

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Chanel Brooch Jewelry Maker. The House of Chanel (Chanel S.A.) originated in 1909 when Gabrielle Chanel opened a millinery shop at 160 Boulevard Malesherbes, the ground floor of the Parisian flat of the socialite and textile businessman Étienne Balsan, of whom she was the mistress. Because the Balsan flat also was a salon for the French hunting and sporting élite, Chanel had the opportunity to meet their demi-mondaine mistresses, who, as such, were women of fashion, upon whom the rich men displayed their wealth — as ornate clothes, jewelry, and hats. Reference: Wikipedia

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Van Cleef & Arpels is a French jewelry, watch, and perfume company. It was founded in 1896 by Alfred Van Cleef and his uncle Salomon Arpels in Paris. Their pieces often feature flowers, animals, and fairies, and have been worn by style icons such as Farah Pahlavi, the Duchess of Windsor, Grace Kelly, Elizabeth Taylor and Eva Perón. Reference: Wikipedia

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Nettie Rosenstein (1890 – March 13, 1980) was an American fashion designer, based in New York between c.1913 and 1975.  She was particularly renowned for her little black dresses and costume jewelry.

In the 1920s American fashion business, imported fashions by named French couturiers were considered the best to be had. At this time Rosenstein’s designs were sold by stores under their own labels, though purchasers were told that the dresses were in fact by Nettie Rosenstein. Through word of mouth Rosenstein earned name recognition and her own-name label became a valuable commodity. Her clothes were retailed around America, but only one store in each city was permitted to carry fashions bearing Rosenstein’s label. In 1927 Rosenstein tried an early retirement, but resumed designing in 1931, when she reopened on West 47th Street in collaboration with her sister-in-law, Eva Rosenstein and Charles Gumprecht.

In 1937, Rosenstein was described by Life Magazine as one of the most highly regarded American designers. She was one of the first recipients of the Neiman Marcus Fashion Award on its launch in 1938. In 1940, Rosenstein clothing was sold out of 92 shops and department stores across the USA, at prices ranging from $98 to $500. Whilst these prices were beyond the range of most consumers, Rosenstein’s designs were so widely copied that she still influenced the average American woman’s wardrobe. One such design was the “little black dress” designed to go from day to evening with low-cut evening necklines combined with daywear silhouettes and materials. Her designs also included printed dresses with gloves to match, and she was also known for her accessories and striking costume jewelry. Reference Wikipedia

Nettie Rosenstein discontinued the fashion side of her business in 1961. Her long term business partner and Coty Award Winner, Sol L. Klein, continued to design and manufacture costume jewelry and accessories until 1975. He retired in 1975, the same time as the Nettie Rosenstein brand closed. On March 13, 1980, after a long illness, Nettie Rosenstein died at the age of 90.

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Cartier is well known for its jewelry and wristwatches, including the “Bestiary” (best illustrated by the Panthère brooch of the 1940s created for Wallis Simpson), the diamond necklace created for Bhupinder Singh the Maharaja of Patiala, and the “Santos” wristwatch of 1904.

Founded in Paris, France, in 1847 by Louis-François Cartier, the company remained under family control until 1964. The company maintains its headquarters in Paris, although it is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Compagnie Financière Richemont SA in Switzerland.

The firm has a long history of sales to royalty and celebrities. For example, the Manchester Tiara was made by Cartier, Paris, in 1903 to the order of Consuelo, Dowager Duchess of Manchester. Cartier’s records note that she supplied over a thousand brilliant-cut diamonds and more than 400 rose-cut diamonds, while Cartier supplied further rose-cut diamonds and the paste stones which make up the scrolls at the end of each side.

This tiara of graduated flaming hearts and C scrolls was inspired by a vision of France before the Revolution. Louis Cartier encouraged his designers to sketch 18th-century ironwork and architectural ornament in Paris and Versailles, and to study engraved jewellery designs.

Consuelo, Duchess of Manchester (1858-1909), was the daughter of Antonio Yznaga del Valle, of Ravenswood, Louisiana, New York and Cuba. Consuelo was taken by her mother to Paris where her American friends included Jennie Jerome, later to be the mother of Winston Churchill and Alva Smith, later to be Alva Vanderbilt. Consuelo married George Victor Drogo Montagu, Viscount Mandeville, the future 8th Duke of Manchester, in 1876. The Duke of Portland recorded that she ‘took Society completely by storm by her beauty, wit and vivacity and it was soon at her very pretty feet’. She became a friend of Queen Alexandra to whom she bequeathed a bracelet on her death in 1909. A letter to the Times described her as ‘one of the first of the American ladies who married into the great English families, and who brought to this country that rare combination of high intelligence, a sunny nature and uncommon personal charm’. Reference: Victoria and Albert Museum.

Cartier is one of the most recognisable names in jewellery.

Cartier was founded in Paris in 1847 by Louis-Francois Cartier (1819 – 1904).

The firm was taken over and expanded by his grandsons Louis, Jacques and Pierre. Each of the grandsons took over the operations of the salons in Paris, London and New York. They are renown for their quality designs.

Louis Cartier was the master of the “garland style”. This style was used during the Edwardian era and was based on designs from the eighteenth century. In fact, Louis Cartier encouraged his designers to consult original eighteenth century pattern books and also to wander through the streets of Paris to take sketches of eighteenth century architectural details.

One of Cartier’s most popular designs was a diamond hat brooch with onxy, and emeralds. This was created around 1920 – 1925. Today, they are probably most famous for their expensive, quality watches.

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