Fashion reflects the times in which we live, our lifestyle, our values, our goals and aspirations.
Fashion is in no way superficial. It is our own very personal statement about ourselves. Our clothes elicit response from others as well. We can have an esthetic impact through our dress, and, by doing so, we may inspire others, and even ourselves.
Fashion is a potential art form. Through it, we appreciate the beauty of the creation--its strength, its variety, and its harmony. As we enmesh ourselves in colors and fabrics, our own many moods are reflected.
The Life section of the World & I will examine fashion trends, past and present, and will look to the future. We will interview experts in the field so that we might offer the best fashion advice available. We want to be a voice expressing the best; from head to toe, from hats to shoes, for man and women.
This month's fashion section focuses on trends in buying fine jewelry at the famous auction houses of Christie's and Sotheby's.
Jewelry, that portable bit of antiquity and wealth, possesses a unique ability to endure and provide the contemporary individual the chance to own and wear history. No other form of art connects visual enjoyment with personal adornment, all beautifully tied up in a package of durable materials having intrinsic as well as artistic value. In the last ten years, the opportunity to own a piece of this history has increased dramatically, thanks largely to the marketplace created by Christie's and Sotheby's, two of the major auction galleries. While there are some great collections of jewelry on view in the museums of the world, either as permanent exhibitions or as visiting collections, these works are out of reach, both literally and in the sense of ownership. Auction houses, on the other hand, function as living, accessible museums, where great works of the past are not only on display; they may be handled, tried on and purchased.
The auction houses have been in the business of selling used jewelry for a very long time: Sotheby's was founded in 1744, Christie's in 1766. But it is only in the very recent past that the auction galleries--these two as well as others--have become important venues for the sale of fine jewelry. Each month, from September through June, they present for inspection and sale, collections of jewels and gemstones consigned to them by individuals, estate trustees and (though they would not admit it publicly), dealers. Sales reach two seasonal peaks, in the fall and spring, when the most expensive pieces are gathered together and sold. At the October sales held by Sotheby's and Christie's, a total of $10 million worth of jewelry was sold in a matter of a few hours. The pressure is intense, the action is quick, the excitement is palpable.
People buy jewelry at auction for many reasons; some think everything sold at auction is a good deal. This is scarcely the case. Others think everything sold at auction is rare or not available anywhere else. This is sometimes true and, in fact, is the best reason to buy at auction. In the case of period jewelry--jewelry comprising wonderful sets of matched gems--auctions have become increasingly important. There is a bit of circular reasoning creating this phenomenon. As the
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