18K Gold Negligee Necklace With Rose-Cut Diamonds, Early 20th Century, Paris

At the beginning of the 20th century, Parisian jewelry workshops embraced forms that played with proportion and symmetry. This gave rise to the negligee necklace – light, fluid, and seemingly defying the classical rules of composition.

In this example, crafted in 18-karat gold (750), a fine chain holds a simple geometric bar. From it descend two slender drops, each ending with a round medallion set with rose-cut diamonds. With every movement, the stones catch the light in alternating rhythms, enhancing the hallmark asymmetry of this design – a beloved feature of the Belle Époque and early Art Nouveau periods.

The necklace preserves the spirit of its era: elegance, delicacy, and the playful creativity that Parisian jewelers of the early 20th century mastered so well in such refined and graceful forms.