Splendid Bangle With c. 3.79 ct Old Cut Diamonds in White Gold, USA c. 1920

Jewellery fashion changed fundamentally in the western countries at the beginning of the 20th century: new, modern shapes and decorations were sought, and overall the jewellery was to appear feather-light, ethereal and at the same time luxurious. In the USA, this ideal was realized in the form of white gold filigree, which was characteristic of US jewellery production at the time. Filigree struts break through the often simple basic shapes of brooches, bracelets and pendants of the time; diamonds are set in ornamental arrangements in between. Mille handles along the fine struts lend additional structure. Thus the pieces often look like lace knitted from precious metal. But with this fundamental change in jewellery fashion, what happened to the older pieces that were considered old-fashioned? Often they were melted down and the precious gemstones inserted into new, modern jewels. A 1917 catalogue by the jeweller Daniel Low of Salem, for example, advertises this procedure, which was both sustainable and cost-saving (see last illustration). This also explains why the three largest and most precious diamonds have a 19th century cut, while the bracelet itself and its smaller diamonds are entirely indebted to the modern taste of the years around 1920. The three large diamonds, seemingly taken from an heirloom, are shaped in cushion-shaped old Mine cuts and each has a delicate yellow hue, like lemon glaze. Together they weigh about 2.36 cts, with over one carat in the center stone alone. Surrounding them is a delicate net of white gold, partially set with more modern, round-cut old European cut diamonds weighing almost one and a half carats. These smaller diamonds were apparently cut at the same time as the bracelet. The precious bangle is beautifully preserved. Not only decorative, it is also an excellent example of how changing fashions were visibly reflected in the field of jewellery and how earlier generations dealt with the resources given to them.

Estimate:£8,318.37

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