The Art Nouveau Beauty of Early Krementz Jewelry – WorthPoint

If you think you know Krementz & Co., you might want to think again. Sure, most people recognize the Krementz name, even if they just dabble in costume jewelry. The company made lots of gold overlay jewelry that frequently enters the secondary marketplace. These designs made in the 1950s and ‘60s are usually on the dainty side and, if I’m being quite honest, not all that exciting. They’re usually in good condition and reasonably priced, though, so they do have that going for them.

Exploring what else is out there, don’t give up on the collectability of Krementz until you discover the lovely antique jewelry the firm produced. This requires crossing over into fine jewelry territory, as most of these attractive designs were made using 14-karat gold. Delving into their best work, we look back further into this manufacturing jeweler’s history to the art nouveau era.

The Elements of Art Nouveau-Era Jewelry

Art nouveau literally translates from French to mean “new art.” It’s a term used to describe a movement that first took root around 1890, so it’s actually a subset of the late-Victorian period. Inspired by nature, artisans incorporated all types of plants into their designs—flowing vines, swirls of foliage, and exotic flowers are commonplace. Women depicted in art nouveau creations often had flowing hair, and some overtly exhibited the natural beauty of a woman’s curves. One of the reasons art nouveau wares were so attractive back in their time (and still hold interest today) is an exotic feel that conveyed a freshness in design moving from into the Edwardian era of the early 1900s.

Many types of decorative arts were made in this new style, including jewelry. All the major jewelry houses, including Tiffany & Co., presented art nouveau designs to their clientele. Others better known for glass, like René Lalique, also designed jewelry with art nouveau influences. Many of these pieces included skillful plique-à-jour enameling that makes them resemble miniature examples of stained glass when held to the light. Of course, those art nouveau masterpieces are out of the reach of most antique jewelry collectors; many are even held in museum collections. That’s where Krementz fills the gap.

How Krementz’s Art Nouveau Jewelry Came About

This Newark, New Jersey-based business’s early claim to fame was not jewelry designed for women—it was men’s collar buttons first made in the 1860s. George Krementz, in fact, was quite an innovator in the field. His business made most of the metal collar buttons used globally while they were still in style. Although jewelry was initially somewhat of a sideline for this manufacturing company, they still took it seriously by employing a team of fine jewelers. As the use of metal buttons as detachable collar fasteners waned and eventually fell out of favor by the 1930s, jewelry became the mainstay for this long-lived firm.

When George Krementz’s sons Richard and Walter visited Europe after graduating from college at the turn of the 20th century, they returned with news of fashionable developments beneficial to the family business. This included news of all the art nouveau styles in vogue, and the intelligence they shared was quickly interpreted by the jewelry team at Krementz. These craftsmen’s designs weren’t as haughty as those produced by the most well-known art nouveau jewelers; they were clearly made for the masses with less detailing, and the enameling wasn’t as skillful.

Nevertheless, the delicate coloring, use of colored gemstones and opals, and pearls ranging from baroque examples to seed accents make them quite appealing. Lily pads, floral motifs, birds, and the flowing lines that characterize art nouveau styles add to their eye-catching appeal. The firm even incorporated some of the beautiful ladies associated with the period in small brooches and cufflink designs. Some, interestingly, were remade using plated metalwork in the 1960s during a brief Victorian revival period. These plated pieces offer the look for a fraction of the cost in comparison to the antique karat gold examples.

Prices for Krementz Art Nouveau Designs

While you have a better chance of scoring an affordable piece of Krementz than the finest art nouveau jewelry out there, these designs aren’t plentiful by any means since they were only made for a decade or two. However, that doesn’t translate to your treasure coming cheap—unless you’re very lucky.

Antique jewelry enthusiasts compete to own Krementz art nouveau designs when they come on the market, especially the fancier necklaces and detailed brooches that can sell in the thousands, as noted in the WorthPoint® Price Guide. Adding a reasonably priced example to a collection would generally mean settling for a stick pin, small bar pin, or something similar. These little collectibles are quite lovely but don’t have the flair of the larger, more elaborate examples.

Now that you know about some of the most beautiful and desirable Krementz designs, has your opinion changed regarding the brand? At the very least, you’ll know to watch for these coveted pieces while out on antiquing forays.

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Pamela Siegel is a freelance writer and author who has been educating collectors for more than two decades. In addition to three books on topics relating to antiques and collectibles, she frequently shares her expertise through online writing and articles for print-based publications. Pamela is also the co-founder of Costume Jewelry Collectors Int’l (CJCI) and the proprietor of Chic Antiques by Pamela.

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