This exquisite Gala ensemble represents the finest in the William De Lillo costume jewelry legacy.
William De Lillo arrived in the U.S. in the 1950s, and was soon designing for Tiffany, Cartier and Harry Winston.
He was working for Miriam Haskell in 1968 when he formed his own company, William De Lillo, Ltd., with Robert E. Clark.
DeLillo and Clark embraced the cultural revolution and began designing unisex jewelry and "gender bending" jewelry for men.
De Lillo's jewelry was often limited edition or runway pieces. He created pieces exclusively for wealthy clients such as the Duchess of Windsor, the Baron and Baroness Rothschild, Elizabeth Taylor and Joan Crawford.
The necklace and dress clip featured here has a "custom" element. The client was in possession of the necklace, and remarked that she needed a dress clip. Her wish was his command. De Lillo created the dress clip just for her!
Nine emerald cut glass stones create a stunning architectural pendant, hung from an 18K heavy gold-plated chain with 16 emerald-cut rhinestones. The necklace drops approximately 26".
The custom dress clip features three emerald cut stones and measures just under 2" in each direction.
The large rhinestones measure approximately 1" x 3/4", the smaller rhinestones measure about 5/8" x 1/2".
The ensemble is in very good vintage condition with minor surface scratches.
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