Verdura exhibition

[boerumbiddy]

Are any fellow colored-stone fans planning a visit to the 75th anniversary exhibition of Verdura creations in New York? It runs until Dec. 23 and you can make a reservation here:
http://www.verdura.com/power-of-style

From their website: "The Power of Style: Verdura at 75, is to be shown only in New York and will be open to the public from October 14 thru December 23, 2014, Monday thru Friday from 11:00 am – 5:00 pm and Saturdays starting November 29 from 11:00 am - 5:00 pm and will be held at 745 Fifth Avenue in gallery space adjacent to Verdura’s flagship location."

 

[JewelFreak]

Boerumbiddy, I'd give my right arm to be there -- not the arm wearing the Verdura bracelet. One of the most wonderful jewelers. Are you going?

--- Laurie

 

[boerumbiddy]

I finally got to see the Verdura exhibition, discreetly upstairs in a suitably elegant building across from the Plaza. (There is a piano in the lobby for noontime concerts.)The exhibition, in the Belperron space next to Verdura, was also elegantly mounted in brass-framed cases, and the security was omnipresent but discreet.

There are some eye-opening items for colored-stone fans, like his work for Salvador Dali and the Chanel cuffs, of course. He did not design costume jewelry for her, just set her real stones. He did several of the famous cigarette cases his friend Linda Porter ordered to commemorate each Cole Porter musical. One modern-day ruby ring, with an unheated Burma stone twice the size of the Graff ruby, caught my eye. It is in a "turban" setting, cushioned above delicate curved lines of tiny, bright diamonds, and is said to be based on one of the count's designs.

It was also illuminating to see film and screen shots of the pieces he designed for some of my favorite movies, like "Holiday" and "Suspicion." The scarf-shaped emerald necklace he did for Babe Paley's predecessor, Dorothy Paley, is a humdinger. Betsy Whitney's diamond-and-gold feather tiara looks fairly subtle. The successor company still makes the gold link bracelet that Garbo frequently wore.

Do go if you can. I did not make a reservation and had no trouble getting in. There is a nice souvenir booklet.