Featuring Joan Crawford's Retro Raymond Yard Citrine, Gold Jewelry Suite

Joan Crawford, Actress

A native of San Antonio, Texas, Joan Crawford rose to fame as an actress in the mid-1930's. Her knack for self-promotion landed desirable starring roles as a contract actress for MGM Studios. Her rags to riches tales were popular in the Depression era, including films such as Grand Hotel (1932), Sadie McKee (1934), No More Ladies (1935), and Love on the Run (1936).

By the early 1940's, with a lack of plumb roles, Crawford left MGM for rival Warner Bros., and in 1945 landed the role of a lifetime. Mildred Pierce (1945) presented an opportunity to show her range as an actress. Her performance as a woman driven to give her daughter everything, garnered Crawford her first and only Oscar for Best Actress. Two more nominations followed without wins, Possessed (1947) and Sudden Fear (1952). Crawford's career later waned until she and arch-rival Bette Davis co-starred in What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962).

A popular pastime amongst the Hollywood set was collecting jewels. Many stars wore their own jewelry on movie sets and in advertising. This suite was commissioned by Ms. Crawford from famed jeweler Raymond Yard. After receiving it, she wore it in the film Where Ladies Meet (1941) and in a print ad for Royal Crown Cola.