Paris became the birthplace of impressionism and modern art during the Belle Époque Period. The name Belle Époque came into use after the first world war and is a term for what seemed a simpler time of optimism, elegance and progress. High fashion and luxury goods dominated this movement and we see the haute couture (high fashion) in all of its glory. In modern day times, this period would be the parallel of what "bougee" is today. Charles Worth, Rene Lalique, Coco Chanel, Francois Coty and Louis Cartier were all pioneers of this era.As a result of its strong impact on society, we see this period encompass part of the Art Nouveau and Edwardian eras. The best jewelry from this period would have been made in France with BIG, highly fashionable designs and components - mostly with big diamonds and pearls with chic platinum settings. Motifs commonly seen are pulled in from King Edward’s influence on the world such as bows, garlands, festoon necklaces and sautoirs. Diamond encrusted dog collars were a must! The "Beautiful Era" was a time of increasing wealth and flourishing arts in Europe and we definitely see this reflected in the expensive pieces that have now stood the test of time.