5 Art Deco Jewelry Pieces That Are Worth a Small Fortune

Art Deco jewelry is having a major moment with collectors.

Made between 1920 and 1939, pieces of this style are incredibly distinctive, featuring bold geometric shapes, colorful gemstones, and striking symmetry. It's this singularity that helps to make them so attractive to connoisseurs.

Alicia Boyle, owner of Boylerpf Antique Jewelry, summed up the appeal of the category this way: "The finest Art Deco pieces are not jewelry in the conventional sense. They are micro-architecture — platinum structures built by hand at a scale and with a precision that the industry has never since matched."

That being said, not all Art Deco jewelry is made the same. Some styles and makers are far more valuable than others, creating a strong distinction between a piece that's simply beautiful and one that's a true collector's jewel.

With that in mind, if you're looking to make extra money, here are five Art Deco jewelry categories that can attract serious collector interest, and what comparable pieces have actually sold for at auction.

Cartier Tutti Frutti pieces

Estimated market value: $1-2 million

If there's one type of Art Deco jewelry that is certain to make a collector's eyes light up, it's Cartier's Tutti Frutti pieces.

The nickname refers to the colorful gemstones (primarily rubies, emeralds, and sapphires) that make them up. Inspired by Jacques Cartier's travels through India, the pieces are replete with intricately carved vines, platinum, and black enamel.

Despite the fact that many of the stones lack the clarity you'd commonly associate with Cartier pieces, Tutti Frutti pieces remain among the "most sought-after vintage Cartier creations due to their rarity, craftsmanship, and historical importance," according to Sotheby's.

In 2014, one Tutti Frutti bracelet that had been owned by Evelyn H. Lauder sold for $2.1 million at auction. In 2020, another bracelet sold for $1.3 million at auction, setting a record for the highest price for any piece of jewelry sold in an online sale.

Platinum and diamond bracelets and rings

Estimated market value: $10,000-20,000

Another favorite among collectors is platinum and diamond bracelets and rings.

In the '20s and '30s, jewelers favored platinum for its natural strength, which allowed them to create extraordinarily delicate settings that could withstand regular wear. Diamonds, of course, added the shine.

While the full value of these pieces can range considerably, based on whether or not they've retained all of their original gemstones and whether they're signed by a major house like Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, or Tiffany & Co., there have been some major sales in recent years.

In 2010, a bracelet from 1935 fetched $10,000 at auction, and in 2021 a larger bracelet made by Tiffany & Co. brought in $20,000.

Geometric brooches and clips

Estimated market value: $10,000-30,000

While brooches and clips may not be very popular with today's consumer, they were a staple of all early 20th century jewelry collections.

Those with particularly Art Deco characteristics (think symmetrical patterns, fan shapes, stepped edges, and baguette-shaped gems) can command huge sums of money. The most desirable examples are either signed by a major designer or retain their original clips, hinges, and fittings.

Pieces that can be worn together as a brooch or separately as clips are especially interesting to collectors because of their versatility.

One Cartier example sold at auction for just under $30,000, and an unsigned double-clip brooch from the same era brought in $11,000.

Long sautoir necklaces

Estimated market value: $6,000-90,000

Made popular in the early part of the 20th century, sautoir necklaces are long, thick chains that reach below the wearer's waistline and often end in a tassel or pendant. During the Jazz Age, when Art Deco jewelry was at its peak, these necklaces were often worn with the drop-waist fashions of the time.

These days, collectors especially prize sautoir necklaces that have distinctive features, be it a uniquely shaped pendant, pearls, colorful gemstones, or elaborate clasps.

An unsigned example made of seed pearls, diamonds, and blue enamel sold for $6,350 in 2024. Another incredibly unique sautoir made by the French designer Georges Fouquet, composed of coral, diamonds, and onyx, brought in $87,236.73 back in 2023.

Colored stone cocktail jewelry

Estimated market value: $75,000-2.5 million

While much of the most recognizable Art Deco jewelry is composed of platinum and diamonds, designers at the time also used a ton of other colorful gemstones.

Large sapphires, emeralds, rubies, jade, and other colored stones were often paired with the more traditional stones and settings to create vibrant, eye-catching pieces. Today, these unusually colored items are highly appealing and can command major sums at auction.

In 2025, Christie's sold The Rockefeller Kashmir, a sapphire and diamond ring once owned by the prominent New York City family, for $2.637 million. Another 1920s ring, also featuring a sapphire but with less prestigious history, sold for $75,600.

How to tell if you have a valuable Art Deco piece

When trying to determine whether the Art Deco piece you have is truly valuable, start with the small details.

Look for hallmarks and maker's marks (aka a jeweler's signature) inside a ring or on the clasp of a bracelet or necklace. These can reveal the metal and fineness and, depending on the country's system, provide clues about where and when a piece was made.

Then examine the construction and condition. Check the clasp, hinges, enamel, and stone settings for any signs of wear or visible repairs. Items that have lost any stones, or have had any original features replaced, will likely be worth less in an auction setting.

And finally, don't trust a famous signature at face value.

Fakes and altered signatures are a real concern for collectors, because an authentic maker's mark can be worth so much. A signature should make sense alongside the jewelry's construction, materials, hallmarks, and period.

Bottom line

At the end of the day, old doesn't necessarily translate to valuable, especially when it comes to Art Deco jewelry.

The maker's mark is arguably one of the biggest value drivers when it comes to pieces from the 1920s and '30s. A genuine signature from Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Tiffany & Co., Boucheron, Mauboussin, or another important house can push a piece into a completely different price category.

Condition and provenance matter too. Pieces that were owned by celebrities, royals, and other famous figures are often worth far more than those that come from ordinary collections.

And if the jewelry appears promising, it never hurts to get a professional appraisal or authentication from a qualified antique-jewelry specialist. After all, it can be incredibly worth it to look beyond the sparkle. Tiny details are usually the deciding factor between a pretty antique and something collectors are willing to pay serious money for, which can turn your estate sale find into a way to make money from home.

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