Wonderful Antique Pendant Brooch With Diamonds, c. 1880

One of the most popular jewellery motifs of the 19th century was without a doubt the diamond-studded star. Empress Elisabeth of Austria in particular had made diamond stars fashionable as brooches and hair ornaments at the Viennese court. Probably the best-known portrait of Empress Sisi from the hand of Franz Xaver Winterhalter shows her with a multitude of radiant stars in her flowing dark hair, made by the Viennese court jeweller A.E. Köchert. Like Sisi's Köchert stars, the diamond brooch featured in this offering charms at first glance with its fancy shape and exquisite workmanship. A concealed eyelet and a detachable brooch allow the piece of jewellery to be worn as a pendant and as a brooch, depending on your mood, occasion and outfit. The radiant brilliance of the 57 diamonds set here in the historic old European and rose cuts is almost dazzling. Close together, they occupy every free space of the sparkling sun, which is built up in two levels, with a beautiful old European cut diamond of about 0.45 carats forming the center. All stones are set in silver which makes them shine especially beautifully. The brooch with the unusual curved rays is made of silver and gold, with the latter is only used on the reverse side, so that the front side can shine pure white. Workmanship, design as well as comparative pieces let us date the sun star to the 1880s. An exquisite gem in unusually rich decoration, which found its way to us from Munich.

Estimate:£7,064.75

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