NEW YORK — The term “wearable art” is thrown around loosely and liberally when it comes to jewelry, but some designers take it to the next level, creating highly sculptural and artistic pieces. Barry Kieselstein-Cord (American, b. 1943-) has dwelled at the place where art and fashion meet since introducing sterling silver belt buckles in the early 1970s that were instantly coveted, launching and cementing his reputation.
Kieselstein-Cord, a designer, artist and photographer who founded his company in 1972 in New York City as the Disco era was gaining favor, has an instinctive eye for fashion. His company also produces exotic leather goods, but this article will focus solely on his jewelry.
Kieselstein-Cord counts many celebrities among his clients. He famously designed a silver skull necklace for Mick Jagger’s 30th birthday, and his pieces have appeared in movies and on TV. He came to prominence during a particularly heady time in American fashion, building his brand while helping upend traditional notions of what luxury is and was meant to be. While he was inspired by French atelier houses, he created a uniquely American company with a contemporary flavor.
He has sought inspiration from a number of sources, from nature to ancient art and architecture, and a current collection pays homage to women of the world. At the age of eight, he became fascinated with Native American culture and began carving totem poles and effigies. He is quoted in interviews saying he buried random objects and bits of metal in the ground as a child. He dug them up later to observe how the items’ color and patina were changed, a bit of knowledge that certainly proved useful in his chosen career.
While many collectors find the company’s 1980s-era jewelry the most desirable, later pieces can bring serious money, especially if they are made of gold. A solid 18K gold foo dog bracelet from 2002, festooned with five carats’ worth of diamonds, brought $14,000 plus the buyer’s premium in January 2021 at GWS Auctions Inc. Foo dogs are also referred to as Chinese guardian lions. This bracelet has an ornate design featuring panels centered on the foo dogs pictured in high relief. Diamonds make up the background of each panel and were also used as the eyes for the lions. The piece is signed with the firm’s hallmark of a crescent moon and star.
Kieselstein-Cord’s designs frequently showcase animals, and he is especially drawn to those that have great power and abundant teeth. A highly sculptural alligator-form cuff bracelet in 18K gold from 1988 brought $10,000 plus the buyer’s premium in September 2022 at Hindman. The alligator is precisely detailed, and the bracelet is designed to wrap around the wrist with the help of a hinged opening. Besides alligators, Kieselstein-Cord also created a well-received line featuring crocodiles.
One of his most popular collections was his Caviar line, introduced in the early 1980s on earrings and bracelets and seemingly named for the row of gold spheres in relief that runs through the center of the undulating scrolled design. A Caviar diamond bracelet realized $5,500 plus the buyer’s premium in November 2021 at J. Garrett Auctioneers.
1980s fashions were famous for being bold and big. Hair was big, whether long, tousled or teased, and so-called “big hair bands” such as Night Ranger, Bon Jovi and Twisted Sister dominated radio airwaves. Women were into power-dressing in the workplace, often choosing blouses and blazers with big shoulder pads. Jewelry consequently increased in size, as evidenced by a Barry Kieselstein-Cord 18K gold statement brooch from the 1980s that attained $1,800 plus the buyer’s premium in April 2021 at Atop Auctions, LLC.
Kieselstein-Cord also makes pieces that are markedly architectural, such as a 1998 diamond and 18K gold Windows collection ball bracelet that earned $6,250 plus the buyer’s premium in January 2021 at GWS Auctions Inc. It features pierced spherical balls linked to each other and culminating in a diamond and gold globe that is embellished with more than three carats of pave diamonds.
Kieselstein-Cord saw jewelry as sculpture for the body, and his philosophy helped him become a design icon of the 80s. He continues to create jewelry that is noted for its craftsmanship as well as inventive designs that are rich in personality, but never overshadow the personality of the wearer. As the Indian fashion designer Masaba Gupta once said: “you wear your jewelry, don’t let it wear you.” Kieselstein-Cord pieces, even those that take the forms of the fiercest creatures, know who’s boss.