The Verdura Scarf emerald necklace, from the 75th Anniversary Collection, has been recreated for the first time since it was designed by Verdura in 1941 at the request of Dorothy Paley Hirshon.

Pearl, Diamond and Pink Gemstone Necklace by Verdura

Source: Pinterest

Reposted from @mvintage1967 Irving Penn, 1952. #irvingpenn #vintagephotography #1950sstyle #1950sfashion #larryaldrich #verdura #jewellery #1950svintage #elegancestyle #suzyparker #classystyle #midel #instavintage #1950sdress#eugenelacroix1 @eugenelacroix1 #photography https://www.instagram.com/p/CgO1z3SoA_y/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Bracelet cuffs "Maltese Cross" by Fulco di Verdura for Coco Chanel in bone-coloured enamel and gemstones (circa 1930) and “Coco Chanel" (1883-1971) presented in “A History of Jewellery: Bedazzled (part 7: Jewellery of Art Deco Period and Beyond 1918-1945)” by Beatriz Chadour-Sampson - International Jewellery Historian and Author - for the V&A Academy online, april 2024.

Medusa brooch by Verdura 1940 | painted by Salvador Dali photography by David Behl

Feather Tiaras

Diamond Feather Tiara, 1800s

Queen Marie Henriette of Belgium’s Pink Diamond Feather Tiara, 1878

Onyx & Diamond Feather Tiara by Boucheron, 1910

Onyx & Diamond Feather Tiara by Boucheron, 1920

Peacock Feather Tiara 

Diamond Feather Tiara by Mauboussin, 1939

Betsey Cushing Whitney’s Gold Feather Tiara by Verdura, 1956

Nature’s Glow Tiara by Chow Tai Fook, 2014

Take Flight Tiara by Tasaki

Tiara Motifs 8 of ∞

A gem-set, enamel, and eighteen karat gold charm bracelet with five white or black enameled Maltese cross charms, designed by Verdura jewellers

Diamond pinecone brooch ~ Fulco di Verdura (1950s)

(theesotericcuriosa.blogspot.com) 

Kendall Caroline Wideman

Jewelry: Verdura

Town and Country, December 1981

Photographed by Klaus Lucka

Dogwood

Happy Birthday Liv Tyler. Liv is one of the unforgettable women with her beauty. With its flawless facial features, majestic physique and acting, how would you like to look at the jewel style of this woman who is one of the most liked in the cinema world? #livtyler #cinema #beauty #beautiful #chanel #model #bestmodel #actress #tuttifrutti #cartier #vancleef #belperron #verdura #verdurajewelry #debeers #bulgari #serpenti #redcarpet #jewellery #breathtaking #beatiful #highjewelry #happybirthday #style https://www.instagram.com/p/CCFBcwHlSG1/?igshid=6s3zec2t8ak5

Amethyst, Aquamarine and Gold Necklace by Verdura; Created In 1969 For A Private Client, Part Of A Jewelry Suite

Source: Pinterest

Taffin “Verdura, Boivin, Belperron, as her work is very organic and she’s one of the greatest female jewellers. Cartier did some amazing work with Jean Toussant, they rarely have a star designer and she was a great influence.” - James Taffin de Givenchy, Jewellery Designer and Founder of ‘Taffin’. The Franco-American designer is the nephew of French couturier Hubert de Givenchy, and he credits his uncle with inspiring his approach to jewellery design. It was early in his career, when the young Givenchy was working for ‘Christie’s' jewellery department in New York, that he invited Hubert to view the most elaborate jewels on display. His uncle was not drawn to the outsized baubles. Instead, he selected a beautiful leaf pin by Fulco di Verdura. "This is what jewellery is," said Hubert of the unique, colourful piece. It was precisely this comment from his Uncle that inspired Givenchy’s design going forward - his work has married the two worlds ever since. Givenchy later worked at 'Verdura' before launching his own business in 1996, and has always focused on one-of-a-kind jewels. His buyers are passionate jewellery collectors who want something that no one else has. "I try to do something that is more art, an original piece from beginning to end, but with our fingerprint and our DNA. That's what makes us unique," he says. Givenchy is driven by a passion to play with new designs, processes, materials and colour combinations that are unexpected in high jewellery. #neonurchin #neonurchinblog #dedicatedtothethingswelove #suzyurchin #ollyurchin #art #music #photography #fashion #film #words #pictures #neon #urchin #jewellery #highendjewellery #givency #hubertdegivenchy #verdura #southebys #rizzoli #jamestaffindegivenchy #taffin https://www.instagram.com/p/CA4r4jegExs/?igshid=s3vgx6hpbkx9

Bracelets from the "Byzance" collection by Fulco di Verdura for Coco Chanel (1930-34) presented in “A History of Jewellery: Bedazzled (part 7: Jewellery of Art Deco Period and Beyond 1918-1945)” by Beatriz Chadour-Sampson - International Jewellery Historian and Author - for the V&A Academy online, april 2024.s

Jewellery designer Fulco di Verdura holding a Verdura Maltese Cross Cuff, and Gabrielle Coco Chanel (54), 31 rue Cambon, Paris, Photo by Boris Lipnitzki, 1937.

The Chanel Years.

A meeting in 1919 put Fulco di Verdura on the path to discover what would be his life’s work. That year, he met Linda and Cole Porter – two of his biggest supporters and early backers – in Palermo. Six years later, during a party hosted by the Porters in Venice, Linda introduced Fulco to Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel, who would go on to hire Fulco as a textile designer in 1927. Quickly identifying his talents, Chanel asked him to update the settings of jewelry she had been given by ex-lovers, including Bendor, Duke of Westminster, and the Russian Grand Duke Dmitri. Impressed with his work, Chanel began what would be an eight-year collaboration by making him head designer of Chanel jewelry.

Not long after Fulco started working for Chanel, he created her now iconic Maltese Cross Cuffs, setting a gold cross adorned with bright cabochons in white enamel. A year later, Chanel boutiques sold a piece of costume jewelry modeled after the cuffs Fulco created. The cuffs are considered the hallmark of the Verdura brand and they have been copied many times over the years. (x)

I wrote a few days ago about Villa Niscemi, once home to Fulco Di Verdura, the Sicilian duke whose memoir so enchanted me. As an adult he moved to New York and became a jeweller. His dazzling artistic legacy has Sicily in every jewel.

First let’s look at this elephant:

He was inspired by the iconic landmark of Catania. The statue is made of the black rock from Etna that covers the beaches around eastern Sicily.

Now for some legacy. These are medieval Sicilian crowns:

Here are the crosses and other jewels that they inspired Fulco to design:

You can’t visit Sicily without falling in love with the beaches and their exciting shells. There are even some beaches in Sicily where amber washes up, and every one has golden sand and sparkling pebbles. Fulco recreated them in pure gold and precious gemstones.

His love of nature shows in all his work. In his memoir he described how happy he was playing out of doors in the plants and dirt. He was fascinated observing leaves and insects.

The pomegranate is still regarded as a symbol of fertility in Sicily. I was given pomegranates as gifts when I became engaged to Hubby. Fulco interpreted this traditional Sicilian symbol in rubies and diamonds:

Do you recognise this mosaic? It adorned the bedroom of King Roger, in the Palazzo dei Normanni in Palermo.

Fulco interpreted it in various forms of leopards.

Here’s a picture of this talented Sicilian.

Portrait of jewelry designer Fulco di Verdura. (Photo by Horst P. Horst/Conde Nast via Getty Images)

Here’s one more piece of work with a connection to Sicily that some people may not recognise at first. The snakes represent the hair of Medusa, that monster of ancient Greek mythology whose face was so ugly it could turn people to stone with one glance. This was a Greek myth, so why was it Sicilian?

Siracusa, on the south-east corner of Sicily, was a Greek colony so large and successful it overshadowed Athens itself. And it is filled with Medusa sculptures absolutely everywhere. Why were the so obsessed with her? She was used to ward of the evil eye, or envy. The idea was that if anyone was having evil thoughts about the city, Medusa’s ugly face would bounce them right back upon the evil-wisher. When you’re the richest city in the known world, such precautions are vital.

I think Fulco put a jewel in the centre, in place of her face, because of the legend of Perseus. He managed to kill Medusa and cut her head off, so the legend goes, by fighting her backwards and only looking at her by using his gleaming polished shield as a mirror.

Here’s a picture of one of the many, many depictions of Medusa from ancient Siracusa:

Now I shall leave you with a selection of Fulco’s finest.

Sicilian card games!

The perfect stocking filler.

Participate in a Sicilian tradition by buying a book of Sicilian card games on Amazon. 

Buy the bestselling pocket edition or the full colour large format edition with three bonus games. Also now available in the Italian language!

You can also buy packs of Sicilian playing cards on Amazon and many websites.

  Sicily in Jewels: The precious legacy of Duke Fulco Di Verdura I wrote a few days ago about Villa Niscemi, once home to Fulco Di Verdura, the Sicilian duke whose memoir so enchanted me.