An Art Deco Cocktail Watch

I’ve wished for an Art Deco cocktail watch ever since I can remember.  They’re dainty, beautiful, impractical, and they were worn by the sort of women who smoked cigarettes out of long cigarette holders, listened to jazz, and hung out with Scott and Zelda.  What’s not to like?

My wish finally came true!

Meet Daisy Buchanan, an Art Deco cocktail watch named after the character from one of my all time favorite American novels, The Great Gatsby.

Daisy is a late Art Deco cocktail watch. She has a Movado movement, which along with Omega, Rolex, and Longines, was one of the four major Swiss watchmakers of the era.

The watch, including that beautiful Art Deco face is all original and keeps perfect time.

The movement would’ve been purchased first, then a jeweler would’ve been commissioned to make a case to fit it.  The London-made platinum case is hand engraved and set with 1.5 carats of beautiful old-cut diamonds. This is one of the most beautiful Art Deco cocktail watches I’ve ever seen because of its design and condition. I consider myself very lucky to have it.

This is the only Art Deco piece I own. When I first started collecting vintage jewelry, I intended to focus on Edwardian and Art Deco pieces, but the more I see, the more I’m drawn to retro era pieces from the 1940’s through 1960’s… you can’t beat Little Edie :)

Art Deco jewelry is generally a bit too geometric for me, and Art Noveau/Edwardian is a bit too fussy. A lot of older stones are dull, have culets, and are warm in color… K or lower, which I find unattractive. But they’re still beautiful in their own way and I still love looking at them, even if I don’t want to collect them.

If you love vintage jewelry and ever find yourself in London, I recommend Gray’s Antique Centre which is a hop, skip and a jump from the Bond Street tube station. It’s full of antique jewelry dealers who have some of the most beautiful pieces I ever seen.  They’re not cheap but the selection is amazing—they’ll bargain!