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| KENNETH JAY LANE Maltese Cross Cuff Bracelet in Black and Gold |
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Features
- The cuff is featured in Lane's own "Faking It" book. According to the book, KJL designed this for Diana Vreeland, his close friend and eminent fashion arbiter of the 20th Century. Vreeland had asked Lane to design jewelry for a Chanel show that she was doing for the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
- The bracelet is Lane's interpretation of the famous Verdura Maltese cuff, originally designed by Duke Fulco di Verdura for Coco Chanel. The Sicilian duke was head designer for Chanel's private jewelry collection. A story goes that Chanel had Verdura reset "tokens of love" from her lovers (she had plenty!), and the result was this bracelet design. Chanel loved it, and she wore different colors of this jeweled cuff all the time!
- Vreeland's own collection of jewelry that included KJL's Maltese cuff sold in the early '80s for $167,000! Verdura cuffs, based on the Duke's original designs and made of genuine gold and gemstones, are still being sold. Their prices start at $12,000!
- Compared to those outrageous prices, KJL's version seems sooo cheap, yet has that same bold impact.
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