So What's New?

How a 166-year-old jewelry house keeps the world guessing.

- STELLENE VOLANDES

Should we let the brooch tell the story? There it is, in its full lapis and jade and onyx and coral Art Deco glory. It was designed for the Paris fair that gave the period its name, the Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes. It has all the hallmarks of the style: bold geometry, a sense of a newfound freedom, a fearless use of unexpected materials. Its maker’s name was far less wordy than the aforementioned fair. It was, simply, Boucheron.

The French house, founded in 1858, was the first jeweler to set up shop on the Place Vendôme, and it takes pride in this pioneering spirit. Its website actually lists a series of Boucheron firsts. This fall, add this to the others: Boucheron is coming to New York City.