New York, April 5 (IANS): Flowers are one way to measure particular moments of our lives, and jewellery is another, said historian-author Carol Woolton who has curated ‘In Bloom, an upcoming exhibition-cum-sale tracing the floral motif in jewels.

The Sotheby's public exhibition, scheduled to take place from May 3 to May 24, will celebrate the history and evolution of the flower motif in jewellery design, from the 19th century to the present day.

"Small wonder that flowers are a recurring and significant theme in the oeuvre of the jewellery designer, arguably the greatest leitmotif in the history of jewels, cropping up time and again studied from every angle for inventiveness and brilliance of colour to be reimagined in fresh forms to suit the prevailing whims of fashion," Woolton, a leading international authority on jewellery, said in a statement.

Comprising 75 pieces, the collection will showcase vintage floral designs from distinguished houses like Tiffany & Co. and Cartier, among others, alongside pieces by contemporary designers Solange Azagury-Partridge, Neha Dani, Eliane Fattal, Fernando Jorge, Sabba, Jessica McCormack and Irene Neuwirth.

The show will also feature unique pieces commissioned from Indian designer Bina Goenka, British artist Shaun Leane and Japanese master craftswoman Gimel.

"There is no design motif as enduring as the flower, and blooms of every species have inspired designers for as long as we've had jewellery. The beautiful examples (on view), both vintage and contemporary, trace the evolution of the floral jewel over the past 150 years," Frank Everett from Sotheby's Luxury Division said.