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Barnebys HQ
Brahegatan 10
BOX 5038
114 37 Stockholm
All auctions / Jewellery & Gems / Fine Déco Brooch with Diamonds and Sapphires in Platinum, c. 1930
This platinum brooch is a prime example of the unsurpassed craftsmanship of fine Déco jewels: masterfully executed hand-pierced details, perfectly cut sapphires and dozens of glittering diamonds in millegrain settings bear witness to it. A precious, large cushion-cut old-cut diamond takes center stage in this exquisite brooch. It weighs 1.286 ct and has a wonderful clarity (vsi) with a delicate, natural yellow hue, which creates an exciting contrast in combination with the surrounding sapphires. The diamond's brilliance and fire truly make it shine. But the large gemstone tells a story that goes back even further than the production of the brooch in the 1930s: it tells us of Victorian balls in the gaslight, of a precious heirloom, and at the same time of a profound change in jewellery fashion that took place in the early 20th century. The diamond was probably once part of an even older piece that had been created around two generations earlier. However, after the First World War, the richly ornamented, often figurative jewels of the 19th century seemed outdated and hardly wearable; abstract, cool platinum designs were preferred. As a result, many of these older pieces were melted down and the precious gemstones were set into new, modern jewels. A catalog published by the jeweller Daniel Low from Salem in 1917, for example, advertises this procedure, which was both sustainable and cost-saving (see last illustration). This also explains why the central diamond has a 19th century cut, while all the smaller diamonds are entirely in keeping with the modern taste of the 1930s. At the same time, the slightly yellow color of the large diamond also shows that it comes from a time when diamonds were much rarer - it was only with the abundance of diamonds in later decades that the preference for very white diamonds, which continues to this day, became possible. Despite the modernity of the brooch, it thus preserves part of a tradition that goes back even further. A wonderful jewel that immediately impresses with its highly elegant design and masterful execution - and at the same time tells a story that goes beyond its own beauty!
Estimate:£11,516.72
To the auctionView all items fromHofer AntikschmuckorJewellery & Gems
Estimate:
£11,516.72
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