Britt’s Pick: Caravan Cuff Bracelet By Lydia Courteille
By Brittany Siminitz | September 07, 2021
"Prepare to be amazed. Though, if you read the words Lydia Courteille in the headline, you probably already were.
This is seriously next level stuff—even for Courteille, whose creations are always detailed, colorful, and incredibly masterful.
“High jewelry or historical piece of art, what is your opinion?” asked the designer on Instagram, alongside photos and a video of this piece, a remarkable cuff bracelet from the Caravan collection. The answer, you’ll find, is both—with the historical part being a fascinating facet to an already alluring piece.
The gem-obsessed may fancy a game of “What’s that stone?” when looking at this creation. Even if one hazards a guess at the material—spoiler: It’s banded onyx—to know the history behind it would be incredibly impressive.
A cylinder seal, the name for the artifact that sits at the center of this incredible piece, is a highly detailed form of identification. Most were carved gemstones on bead form, and worn on a string as a necklace or bracelet. When a transaction occurred, the piece was rolled across soft clay to provide a necessary signature of sorts.
The piece featured here is approximately from 2000 B.C. Mesopotamia, worthy of a spot in a museum (though it got a pretty good deal as the star of this bracelet, if you ask me).
Courteille pays tribute to the ancient civilization with her choice of color here—green, blue, and black especially used in those times—with her use of turquoise, sapphire, ... "
https://www.jckonline.com/editorial-art ... eille-cuff
