Angular Momentum Belle Époque
French for „Beautiful Era“ was a period in European social history that began during the late 19th century and lasted until World War I. Occurring during the time of the French Third Republic and the German Empire, the „Belle Époque“ was named in retrospect, when it began to be considered a „golden age“ for the upper classes, as peace prevailed among the major powers of Europe, new technologies improved lives that were unclouded by income tax, and the commercial arts adopted Renaissance and eighteenth-century styles to modern forms.
- Angular Momentum
“Belle Époque”
In the newly rich United States, emerging from the Panic of 1873, the comparable epoch was dubbed the „Gilded (not ‚Golden‘) Age“.
The separation between the fortunes and daily life of „haves“ and „have nots“ in Western Europe and the United States increased dramatically in the last quarter of the century.
Cheap coal and cheap labour contributed to the cult of the orchid and made possible the perfection of fruits grown under glass, as the apparatus of state dinners extended to the upper classes; champagne was perfected during the Belle Époque.
Exotic feathers and furs were more prominently featured in fashion than ever before, as haute couture was invented in Paris, the center of the Belle Époque, where fashion began to move in a yearly cycle; in Paris restaurants such as Maxim‘s achieved a new splendour and cachet as places for the rich to parade. And the Opéra Garnier devoted enormous spaces to staircases as similar show places.
Bohemian lifestyles gained a different glamour, pursued in the cabarets of Montmartre.
The style of this age, sometimes referred to as the „Garland Style,“ appears to be the continuation of the goldsmith tradition of the 18th century. Delicate openwork designs captivated jewelers‘ attention. The introduction of platinum as the principal material in the jewelry making process made lightweight designs possible. Platinum was often used in the form of fi nely beaded millegrain or narrow knife wire settings to create the illusion of lightness. The monochrome look of diamonds and platinum became predominant, as the metal enhanced the radiance of diamonds.
Graceful jewelry decorated with openwork garland, lace, tassel, and bow motifs was worn in abundance. Pearls were another favorite of this period. Long strings of pearls were worn in combination with hokers and lavaliers. Popular stones of the period were sapphires, peridots, chrysoberyls, and amethysts. Smaller novelty, sporting, and bar brooches were worn during the day.
Angular Momentum‘s new timepiece combines modern watchmaking with the traditional jewelry craft and the unique design of the Belle Époque period. (Angular Momentum press)
Time Gallery „Belle Époque“
41.00 mm 18 Kt. white gold case with pavé setting of TW VVS diamonds with an 18 Kt. openwork circular shaped medallion of foliate design. Aperture for the digital hours at 12 o’clock. Medallion set with brilliant cut diamonds, old European-cut and mine-cut diamonds of various size, enhanced by millegrain decoration over black sapphire crystal.