Vintage Retro bracelet. 18k yellow and white gold and lapis lazuli. Made in Bruxelles, Belgium and signed by Wolfers (see below for information). Circa 1940's.
Measurements:
Weight is 44.8 grams. Length, not including the tongue is 7 5/8 inches (19.4cm) long.
Description :
Utterly luxurious. The place where fine art and sculpture meet fine jewelry. Lengthways, there are parallel lines of long, gently arched gold links bordering running beneath a line of curved half-rings of bright blue lapis lazuli. An intermediary height of white gold half circles on the outer border of the gold links as well as white gold smaller disks astride the lapis. The design plays on many levels with variations in height and size of an undulating, circular theme. The technicalities - way in which the parts fit together is sublime so that the bracelet is slinky and almost organically drapes around your arm.
Tongue in groove clasp with a gold safety catch.
Per the story below, this bracelet is truly exclusive and extremely rare.
Marks and Metal:
The tongue has a W mark for Wolfers as well as a largely illegible number.
Condition:
Good with negligible wear commensurate with age. Please see enlarged pictures and don't hesitate to ask questions which we will do our best to answer.
THE STORY:
The firm of Wolfers was well-established long before the brothers opened up their first shop in Belgium in 1812.
The name, Wolfers is synonymous with the very best 20th century jewelry and while not as well-known (see why below) as Rene Lalique, considered to be on a par with him.
Wikipedia, speaking of Philippe Wolfers writes: Between 1898 and 1907, Wolfers produced some 130 unique pieces of jewelry. Each piece was inscribed with the words EX.UNIQUE (for "exemplaire unique") and his initials. They were intended to show the artist's craftsmanship and were submitted to important national and international exhibitions. These unique jewels were already extremely expensive at the time. Pieces that remained unsold were disassembled after some time and the precious metals and gemstones were reused to make new pieces of jewelry. This makes this type of exclusive jewelry extremely rare today. Only about 20 pieces still exist. One of his "ex. unique" brooches sold for over £23,000 at a Bonhams auction in 2012.[4] The Glycines choker which he created for the Paris World's Fair in 1900 was sold at Christie's Geneva in 2016 for 257,000 CHF.
Both Philippe and his son, Marcel, who succeeded him in the jewelry department, were highly accomplished sculptors and artists. Marcel was most likely responsible for the bracelet we are selling here. The high level of artistic sensibility and accomplishment is reflected in the design and tactility of this bracelet. It is one of those jewels that feels utterly luxurious. Sensuous, flexible and superb workmanship, all of which we can feel in our fingers before allowing our eyes to take over.
