Verdura Pays Visit to Neiman Marcus
Recently, Verdura, jeweler to Old Hollywood dubbed “America’s Crown Jeweler” by the New York Times, displayed some of its most iconic pieces, along with some new favorites, at Neiman Marcus in Scottsdale Fashion Square.
Verdura is a small company with a huge history. Representing the company in Scottsdale was Jim Haag, one of the three directors. Haag is a walking, talking promotional historian for Verdura and has a story about each piece of jewelry. The cuff in the photo at left above, for instance, was a signature piece of Marlene Dietrich, Hollywood star for more than half a century, beginning in the ’30s. On the right is Greta Garbo in the Verdura Curb Link bracelet, one of the company's most popular pieces still today.
The company was founded by Duke Fulco di Verdura, who was born to Sicilian aristocracy in Palermo, Italy in 1898. His life and art took many turns: to Paris where he worked as jeweler with Coco Chanel, became lifelong friends to Linda and Cole Porter and socialized with Picasso, Hemingway and others; then to America, where he began to design glamorous pieces for the Hollywood set and finally opened his shop in Manhattan.
Verdura died in 1978, but his designs live on. The jeweler left behind nearly 10,000 sketches from which the company makes each piece of jewelry, many in very limited production.
The jewelry isn’t for everyone, Haag says. “People who buy Verdura have a real awareness of style. When they buy a cuff or fabulous earring, they start crafting their own style.
“The lesson from Verdura is to create your own style. The majority of people want to be safe; not to make a misstep.”
Verdura is available at the flagship salon on Fifth Avenue in New York and also at Bergdorf Goodman.
Photo at top: Marlene Dietrich, left, wears her signature Verdura cuff; Greta Garbo, right, wears Verdura's Curb Link bracelet, which still today is one of the jeweler's most popular pieces.
Text by Cindy Miller