Déco Bar Brooch with Untreated Sapphire and Diamonds, c. 1925

For a brief moment, it seemed possible: the dream of a happier society free from hardship and poverty, immersed in new luxury and beauty. World War I was over, the economy was beginning to pick up steam, and a new style was taking the art, architecture, and crafts worlds by storm: Art Deco. The historical forms of the turn of the century had been discredited with the demise of the old social structures. The new drive toward a joy-filled abundance demanded new forms that New Objectivity was unable to fully satisfy. Drawing on clear geometries, symmetries, and luxurious materials, the design language of the new era emerged: dynamic, magnificent, and modern. The brooch presented here exemplifies this new design language perfectly. It shimmers with the cool, elegant luster of platinum, diamonds, and a Ceylon sapphire. At the center of this gold brooch, plated with platinum, sits the untreated, sky-blue gemstone weighing approximately 1.60 ct. It has not been heated or otherwise treated. Its bright, sky-blue colour is entirely the work of nature. Under a microscope, fine natural rutile inclusions can also be seen within the sapphire. They attest to its natural origin and provide gemmological evidence that the stone has not been heated. Scaled ornaments set with small diamonds frame the stone and form a centrepiece that transitions into the bar, completing the brooch. Here, three rose cut diamonds are set on each side. This beautiful Art Deco jewel, typical of its era, came to us from Nuremberg. It was most likely created in Germany.

Estimate:£1,827.18

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