19. Boucheron, “Powder Box and Lipstick Case, and Vanity Case,” about 1950

Bijoux Parisiens

During World War II, French jewelers had great difficulty securing supplies such as precious metals and gems. Boucheron’s ingenious designs for cases disguised the shortage of materials. To provide an illusory sense of luxury, the jeweler used mirrors covered with thin gold leaf, which they then engraved with decorative motifs and studded with tiny colored stones. Capturing the light, the mirror created the glimmer of more expensive materials.