Retro jewelry's theatricality has a specific origin. Major film studios of the 1930s and 1940s collaborated directly with jewelry designers for on-screen pieces, and the aesthetic crossed from costume into fine jewelry production.
A Notable Quality
In the hands of a jeweler, shell moves differently than stone. Its organic layered architecture introduces flexibility that mineral gemstones don't have, and it responds to moisture in ways that affect how tightly it can be set, what finishing tools are appropriate, and how edges are sealed.
Product & Assortment
Estate jewelry exists because fine jewelry lasts for generations and is passed on by the people who wear it. Ross-Simons has long carried estate pieces alongside new collections, giving customers access to work from periods with different material standards, construction methods, and design sensibilities. The history is what makes these pieces distinct.