Tutti Frutti

Dark times breed a desire for color, as evidenced in Cartier's post WWI Tutti Frutti collection.

In the years following World War I, the use of airplanes for commercial travel opened up the frontiers of the jewelry world. Famous makers like Louis-Francois Cartier and Frederic Boucheron realized they could reach far-flung destinations like India. Through his purchases of thousands of semi-precious and precious colored stones from India, Cartier allowed designers free rein with color.

This was also a time when people hungered for bright, happy lives. The tragedy of WWI and the Spanish Flu that followed were the impetus for the Roaring 20s and the embrace of sparkle and color in clothing and jewelry.

Cartier's Tutti Frutti collection burst onto the jewelry scene as an expression of joy after the dark war years. This reminds me that during and after every dark time in history, we still treasure jewelry as a token of affection, comfort, and generational history. I hope you are wearing your pieces even with your athletic gear and pj's to get delight and remind you that better times will come.