The Fred Leighton business was founded in 1959 by Murray Mondschein when he bought a Mexican arts and crafts store in Greenwich Village called “Fred Leighton”. He sold wedding dresses as well as vintage jewelry. In the 1970s, he moved the store to the Upper East Side (and in 1986 legally changed his own name to Fred Leighton). He started to focus almost exclusively on retailing Art Deco vintage jewelry and creating jewelry that was designed around vintage characteristics.
Soon, his boutique was attracting international celebrities, socialites and tastemakers including Josephine Baker, Diana Vreeland, Elizabeth Taylor, Brigitte Bardot and Jackie Onassis.
Leighton began lending jewelry to celebrities in 1996 when Miuccia Prada requested to borrow a necklace for Nicole Kidman to wear to the Oscars. Since then, celebrities have continued to wear Fred Leighton jewels for big events including the Golden Globes and the Met Gala. Movies including Marie Antoinette, The Devil Wears Prada and Sex in the City all celebrated jewelry from Fred Leighton.
This important necklace was designed and made by Fred Leighton whose personal touch you can see in the very special onyx and diamond spacers between large drops of Sri Lankan moonstone. The onyx and diamond spherical spacers are a reference indeed to the Art Deco movement, Fred Leighton’s favorite jewelry era.
The moonstone in this necklace is Sri Lankan and of the highest quality. It demonstrates the phenomenal characteristic of “adularescence”. This optical phenomenom produces a billowy blue sheen across the iridescent shimmering stone. These optical effects are best seen when the moonstone is cut into cabochons as it is here. The round bezel-set diamonds dripping from the moonstone ovals produces the consummate finishing touch.
This necklace is fit for a Queen but would be perfect for any princess.
- Internal circumference is approximately 14.5 inches
- There are 52 round and oval moonstones weighing approximately 160 carats
- Total diamond weight totals approximately 19 carats
- Circa 1990s
- Signed Fred Leighton
