The Maltese Cross Cuff launched Verdura’s career in the 1930s. While working for Coco Chanel, Verdura designed the first enameled cuffs for the couturière using stones from her personal collection. Inspired by the richly hued mosaics and gold-encrusted treasures of the Byzantine Empire, Verdura set gems into gold like tiles, mixing precious and semi-precious stones in various colors and cuts. He electrified into new life the primary colors of precious rubies, emeralds, sapphires and diamonds by mixing them with the vivid half-hues of semi-precious amethysts, peridots and tourmalines.