Connect the knots

The endless knot symbol for eternity is common to many cultures. American designer David Webb created a love knot brooch decorated with ribbons of tiny 18-karat yellow gold beads and contrasting blue and green enameling. Similar motifs are Gordian and Algerian knots, and the omega symbol from the Greek alphabet. Though unsigned, another more elaborate version of the endless knot can be seen in a plaque of carved jadeite enhanced by diamonds. An Algerian knot pendant immortalized on film is conspicuously used as a prominent plot device to indicate a lost love in the James Bond movie, Casino Royale.

Open to interpretation

Openwork links are the main feature of a Tiffany & Co., necklace from the ‘1837’ collection of Rubedo metal. Toni Cavelti designed a similar 18-karat gold necklace and dangling earrings. The pieces have an ethereal quality consisting of interlocking hoops of various sizes, some with a hammered finish and some smooth. Break down the separate constituent parts and all you’ve got is a bunch of openwork rings. The impact comes from massing them together in a visually pleasing manner. The overall effect is one of joyful abundance representing interconnectedness and the myriad large and small events in a lifetime.

Pair bonds

Assuming you didn’t play hooky from math class the day they taught set theory, you’ll easily visualize the image of a Venn diagram connotes the intertwining of two lives. Intersection sets may not seem the stuff of romance, but art deco effectively meets mathematics in a platinum bracelet from the 1930s. The wide strap is decorated with pavé-set and mine-cut diamonds in a sophisticated rendition characterized by a surprising juxtaposition of shapes—the expected articulated rectangular panels alternate with and are softened by unexpected pairs of interlocking bombé circles. Who knew mathematics class contained elements of romance!