If there’s one era that maintains its status as perennially cool, it’s Art Deco. Consider New Yorkers’ ongoing love affair with the Chrysler Building and the lure of South Beach, Miami, for tourists everywhere. There are, however, certain times when this style becomes particularly chic, and fall/winter 2004 is one of those seasons.

Reflected in such subtle shifts as streamlined drops toppling fussy chandeliers, the taste for cleaner, Deco-inspired shapes is on the rise. Meanwhile, fashion’s recent love affair with black and white translates this season into an abundance of similarly hued combinations in fine jewels. Stones like coral, onyx, and crystal suddenly look fresh, and Deco’s favorite—the baguette diamond—is joined by a modern-design favorite, the princess cut.