vintage jewelry – Miriam Haskell

Miriam Haskell
“BORN IN 1899, AT THE HEIGHT OF THE ART NOUVEAU VANGUARD,
she was one of four children, and the daughter of small-town merchants in Albany, Indiana. Some 30 years later, Miriam Haskell would have tea with Coco Chanel while selecting the upcoming season’s beads at Madame Gripoix’s- the finest source in Paris. While Miriam would bring her young design artist, Frank Hess, Chanel was alone. They would talk. Share ideas. Trade fashion celeb secrets. They were among a new class: independent women who began their careers designing jewelry to complement high fashion clothing in an exclusive boutique.”

Miriam Haskell opened her first boutique in 1926 “LE BIJOU DE L’HEURE” in New York. Her collections quickly became popular among the New York and Hollywood “Glitterati” of the time. Names like Lucille Ball, Joan Crawford, and Coco Chanel loved her jewelry. It took awhile for the women of “old money” to understand her popularity. They couldn’t understand why anyone would wear “fake” jewelry… until the 1929 Wall Street Crash. The once affluent women were suddenly adorning themselves in Miriam Haskell jewels. Her jewelry was beautifully constructed, each piece was made entirely by hand. Looking at a vintage piece of Miriam Haskell jewelry is like peering through a window into the past. It makes you wonder, what was life in New York City like in the 1920’s? Was Miriam Haskell one the original “Manhattanites”, going to fabulous parties and restaurants?

Items in this observation: Miriam Haskell Vintage Jewelry