History of Jewellery - Part XIV

I'm thinking the last installment of this series being number 13th is no mistake. I had nearly all these posts written, lumped together in one big draft. I pulled out the last one and scheduled it when we were in Vienna last month and for some inexplicable reason, deleted the rest of the draft...with hours of work in it. So I'm reconstructing as best as I can...wish Blogger had a back up system for drafts like deleted emails.

During WWII England stopped manufacturing jewellery; France and Italy's production was sharply curtailed. Guess it's hard to make necklaces and earrings when bombs are dropping on you, eh? My notes also indicate that France and Italy both imposed a tax on the value of jewellery to help fund the war...whether this was at purchase or of one's existing collection, I'm not sure. 

In Britain, as part of the prevailing attitude during the war, we were told, it didn't do to be seen decked out; one piece of jewellery was all that was considered tasteful. Perhaps royalty were the exception to this rule?

We were told that whilst the present Queen tended to wear her art deco brooches in the traditional manner, Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, liked to wear brooches on her hat. 

On the other side of the pond, production continued as usual in the US and women wore what they pleased. 

The royal ladies weren't the only fans of aquamarines. Joan Crawford, American screen star, was known for wearing gold and aquamarine pieces in the 1940s and 50s.  Her famous parure came from Boucheron. 

Another film star with a penchant for jewellery was Paulette Goddard. We were told she had a great divorce settlement. Reading about her life, I'd say she was really good at getting great divorce settlements.  (Then again she didn't have such great luck with her maybe-father.)

Gifts to Paulette Goddard from one of her several generous husbands, Charlie Chaplin.

She's quoted as saying "I do not accept flowers. I take nothing perishable." 

Wise words.