CRIS NOTTI JEWELS

Hi Everyone,

Tutti Frutti Jewelry: This is my first blog and I will be posting each and every month. My purpose is to educate anyone who wants to know more about jewelry. I believe jewelry is a great investment especially for women.  Tthe value increases each year and it takes little room to store. Buy what you absolutely love and you will be surprised by the assets created.

Tutti Frutti Jewelry

Tutti Frutti Jewelry, was first created by the firm Cartier in the early 1900’s. In 1901 Pierre Cartier made a necklace of Mughal carved gemstones for Queen Alexandra, which was unique in style and design. In 1911 Jacques Cartier, Pierre’s brother made his first trip to India. He found the Mughal style of gemstones unique as their tradition was to intricately carve gemstones into leaves, flowers, berries and fruit. The exoticism of India and the Orient was all the rage entering the 1920’s. At this time the new rulers in India wanted to modernize some of the amazing jewelry owned by previous monarchs’. Enchanted by India, Cartier wanted this business.

Cartier Sets A Trend

Cartier took the leap and bought these gemstones and started to place them along with Diamonds into platinum bracelet and necklaces. This style of Cartier’s was special as these bracelets and necklaces were full of color and so unique from jewels of the past.  This trend created a fascination with Far East jewelry.

Tutti Fruiti Jewelry -The 1930s

By the 1930’s many of these bracelets were made by other fine jewelry houses, such as Bouchern, Raymond Yard, etc. The Tutti Frutti jewels were meshed with Deco designs to create a new style. High society women wanted this new jewelry.

Tutti Fruiti Jewelry -The 1950s-1960s

In the 1950’s thru 1960’s, this style was copied by costume jewelry firms such as Trifari, Coro and others. They began producing costume jewelry that was so detailed and looked so real because many fine jewelers left Europe and immigrated to the States and took their fine jewelry making skills to costume jewelry firms.

The 1950’s through the 1960’s saw a resurgence with fine jewelry firms producing these Tutti Frutti style pieces but this time they made them in 18K white gold. Up until 1940 white gold in 18K or 14K did not exist the alloys to make white gold weren’t available. This meant that all jewels before 1940 were in yellow gold or Platinum. As a result, this reduced their price but pre-1950’s Tutti Frutti pieces were expensive by any measure as it holds 20 to 60 carats of gemstones.

People ask “what is Tutti Frutti?” The best explanation I can give you is that Tutti Frutti jewelry consists of 3 colored gemstones that are carved in Ruby, Emerald and Sapphire into leaves or berries . These are interspersed with diamonds in a vine pattern. If these gemstones are not carved then it is NOT Tutti Frutti. Meaning, just because the piece has rubies, emeralds and sapphires it does not make it Tutti Frutti. In the 1970’s this style of jewelry became known as Tutti Frutti meaning “fruit salad.”

I have listed some examples in Platinum and 18K gold for your viewing pleasure.