One of the world’s foremost experts in important jewels, Lisa Hubbard directs North and South American jewelry operations for Sotheby’s, the venerable auction house. Since Lisa and I both admire vintage Tony Duquette bijoux and Tony Duquette jewels that are presently designed by Hutton Wilkinson, I decided to ask her a few questions about why this brand is so important, so enduring, and so fabulous.
Lisa Hubbard of SOTHEBY’S
KR: How have Tony Duquette and Hutton Wilkinson enriched the vocabulary of fine jewelry design?
LH: Tony and Hutton, to my mind, create fantasy jewels – bold in scale and a startling blend of color, texture and substance.
KR: What are their unique contributions to the history of fine jewelry design? Do these pieces qualify as art, and if so, why?
LH: Art is in the eye of the beholder. I do think the ability to work metals and hard stones into wearable designs does require artistry so I would call their designs wearable art – seen against the canvas of the individual who wears it.
KR: How would you describe the market for Duquette’s and Wilkinson’s jewelry?
LH: Today, there is a large retail audience, but always interest at auction, particularly for older examples of Duquette’s work.
KR: Does Tony Duquette have a devoted following?
LH: More at retail than at auction.
KR: Ah, but that situation could perhaps one day change. In the meantime, what kind of people buy this jewelry from Hutton Wilkinson or the various stores that retail Tony Duquette jewels?
LH: Women who are secure in themselves and confident in their taste.
KR: Where do most Duquette collectors live– are they mostly in the U.S.?
LH: Yes. And, the greatest jewelry collection ever – that of the Duchess of Windsor – an American and an international style icon with a superb eye who worked with the greatest jewelry designers of the 20th century, included a piece by Tony Duquette. The sale of her jewels was at Sotheby’s Geneva in April 1987 and she is illustrated in the catalogue wearing the necklace. So, the pieces created now by Hutton Wilkinson are a product of an inspired past.
KR: I understand that the April 2011 auction of Tony Duquette Talismans of Power jewelry designed by Hutton Wilkinson sold all 135 lots for more than $350,000. How has the value of Duquette/Wilkinson jewelry appreciated over the last decade?
LH: The April 2011 auction was in a design sale, not a jewelry sale, and I think the success speaks to interest in the Duquette/Wilkinson aesthetic that permeates all they create – furniture, decorations and jewelry. To remain relevant in the 21st century is no small achievement.
KR: Duquette and Wilkinson pieces are utterly unique. Since the design vision is so aesthetically distinctive and enchanting, do you think the value of this jewelry will rise ever higher over the next decade?
LH: It’s all relative. Jewelry as a whole has never realized the ups and downs of the fine art market. In general, the jewelry market follows the value of money. There is little to speculate on. Rarity plays a part in how jewelry’s value appreciates, as does provenance. I prefer that people collect jewelry because they love how it looks and how it makes them feel when they wear it.