Mastery of Design: The Liberty Blood Red Fire Opal Ring and Necklace, 1926-1927

Fire Opal Ring and Pendant in Platinum and Diamond Settings
The British Museum

Click Images to Enlarge.

Liberty & Co. of London and Paris produced this platinum-set finger ring and pendant for Christmas of 1926-1927.  The set glitters with the pristine sparkle of diamonds and the unusual glow of blood red fire opals.  

This extraordinary pair of rare fire opals is part of an impressive collection of jewels from the 1920s-1950s which was donated to the British Museum in 1978 by Professor John and Anne Hull Grundy.  

Mastery of Design: A Cartier Diamond and Coral Jabot Scarf Pin, 1920

The Victoria & Albert Museum

This long scarf pin by Cartier features three overlapping jeweled semicircles at its head. This pattern is echoed in miniature on the clip at its base. Made between 1920 and 1930, this style of brooch was very fashionable at the time. It is made up of two separate decorative ends which are joined by a pin.

When made, Cartier referred to these pins as “cliquet pins” because of the snap fastening which held the lower element in place over the sharp point of the pin. However, overall such pins are referred to as jabot pins (after a cravat or jabot) or sûreté pins.

A pin like this—in the 1920s would have been worn to secure a scarf or worn on the lapel. Sometimes, they were even worn at the front of a cloche hat. In all instances, only the two jeweled ends of the piece would be seen, with the pin concealed. This example of platinum set with fans of coral, onyx and brilliant-cut diamonds typifies both the look of the Art Deco and Cartier’s preferred style for these pins. 

Mastery of Design: A Sapphire, Diamond and Chalcedony Pendant, 1925

Pendant
French, 1925
The Victoria & Albert Museum

This platinum and enameled gold pendant is set with brilliant-cut diamonds, carved sapphires, stained chalcedony and jadeite. Hung from a ribbon, it dances as the wearer moves, catching the light. The pendant is attributed to Parisian jeweler Janesich.

Janesich created a masterful work in a combination of styles—capitalizing on the icy contrast of gemstones which had become popular in the mid 1920s, but also incorporating the ideals of past ages with the florid folliage. 

Object of the Day, Museum Edition: A Diamond and Stained Chalcedony Brooch, 1912

Diamond, Platinum and Stained Chalcedony Brooch
Cartier, 1912
The Victoria & Albert Museum

After the coronation of King George V, jewelry design began to change from the florid and curvilinear styles popular during the Victorian and Edwardian eras to the sleeker geometric patterns that would define the 1920’s and 1930’s. A new trend in jewelry-making was the love of contrast provided by diamonds and darker stones such as blue sapphires or onyx. The diamonds’ radiance seemed greater when set in platinum next to these more somber stones which exhibited sheen more so than sparkle. Queen Mary was known to enjoy such pieces and had many in her magnificent collection of jewels. Since the Queen was considered a style-setter, elegant black and white jewelry became all the rage.


Due to its popularity, onyx was becoming increasingly scarce at the time. A variety of substitutes were employed to similar effect. Most often used was stained chalcedony. In its natural state, chalcedony has a pale, milky, bluish color. When boiled in a sugar solution, the stone takes on the look of black onyx. High-end jewelers often substitutes stained chalcedony for onyx, stating that, in the long run, the chalcedony was more valuable. The result was actually quite stunning and offered more of a depth and substance to important pieces than would the comparatively flat onyx.

This stunning platinum, diamond and stained chalcedony brooch, made by Cartier in 1912, demonstrates the clever use of this technique. The perfect example of post-Edwardian style, the roots of Art Deco jewelry design can be seen in the dense, close setting of the stones and the play between light and dark. 

Gifts of Grandeur: A Pair of Boucheron Earclips, 1963

The Victoria & Albert Museum



In 1963, the famed jewelers at Boucheron created these earclips of gold, platinum, turquoises and diamonds. An elegant, timeless design, they could have fit in with any outfit of almost any time period, but they are clearly inspired by the jewels of the 1820s.

Mastery of Design: The Cartier Encrusted Emeralds Necklace and Earrings

Diamond Rope Necklace and Earrings; Hung with Encrusted Emeralds
Necklace and Earrings:  Diamond Mounts, London Cartier, c. 1935
Emeralds:  Indian, Moghul, 18th-19th Centuries
Image Courtesy of the British Museum
Click on Image to Enlarge.

A magnificent necklace and earrings of platinum, brilliant cut diamonds and baguettes are hung with cabochon emeralds inlaid with ruby and diamond flowers.  These enchanting  emeralds are Indian, Mughal, set during the 18th-19th centuries while the diamond mounts, clearly in the western style, are later additions by Cartier, dating to the mid 1930s.  

The front piece of the ravishing diamond necklace forms a tasselled rope which loops into a double strand of diamonds round the back.  There, the clasp is formed by a large circular encrusted emerald.  The parure is still contained in its original fitted red leather Cartier case.

The encrusted emeralds were found when Cartier travelled throughout India.  The trip was initially to attract wealthy Indian clients who desired to have their jewels reset in platinum in the Western taste of the 1920s.  While there, they found and purchased vast amounts of Indian stones and pearls which they brought back to London to mount for the fashionable society ladies of Paris and London who clamored for jewels in the Indian style.  The grass is always greener.  Of special impact were the many emeralds with which the Cartier team returned.  The Cartier showpieces at the 1925 Paris International Exhibition featured many of these emeralds.  This set of exquisite flower-set emeralds was reserved specifically for this important parure.

I insist that you click on the image above to see the detail of this masterpiece.  

Mastery of Design: The Cartier Mughal Emerald Dress Clip, c. 1935

Dress Clip
Cartier, 1935
This and all related images from The British Museum

The work of Cartier, an Seventeenth-Eighteenth Century, Mughal carved emerald is set in a diamond and platinum mount dating to 1935.  The clip brooch features a hinged fitting for the platinum double prong at the top and set with round and baguette-cut diamonds, forming a lotus-like flower head. 

The antique carved emerald at the front is adorned with a single bloom with radiating petals, the tips of which are flipped to create a three-dimensional effect. At the back, the carving depicts a triple leaf with surrounding foliage. 

The emerald is drilled with suspension holes at the top and the bottom in order to accommodate hanging on a necklace. 

Mastery of Design: A Cartier Ruby and Diamond Parure, 1954

Necklace, Clip and Earrings of Diamonds, Rubies and Platinum
Cartier, 1954
This and all related images from
The British Museum

Click image to enlarge

Made around 1954, this parure consists of a earrings and a necklace which boasts a detachable clip brooch as the dramatic central element. The group is made of fine Burmese rubies and diamonds set in platinum. They’re the work of Cartier’s London location. The parure is still fitted into its original red leather case. The Cartier name is emblazoned in gold on the lid.

Mastery of Design: Over 100 carats of Fun, Diamond Earrings from the British Museum

Diamond Earrings
1940-1950
This and all related images from
The British Museum

Created between 1940 and 1950, this pair of platinum and diamond earrings contains two large pear-shaped unmatched Indian diamonds.  One is 50 carats, while the other weighs in a 55 carats.  They are hung from platinum mounts set with smaller baguette (baton-cut) diamonds. The pair still resides in the original red leather, fitted case.

The pear-shaped diamonds, while spectacular, do not match, obviously, in size, nor exactly in shape.  This owes to the fact that the diamonds were not cut to match, but rather to highlight their best clarity.  The difference would have been much less obvious when worn.  But, really, if you're wearing over 100 carats, who cares if they are exactly the same?

Strangely, the jeweler is unknown.  They're made in the Western style popular during the period in America and Europe, and they could have been produced on either continent.

Now housed in the British Museum, the earrings were given by an anonymous donor.  Click on the images to enlarge them.

Mastery of Design: A Double Clip Diamond Brooch, 1930-1940

Lady Abingdon's Double Dress Clip Brooch
This and all related images from:
The Victoria & Albert Museum

 

I thought that this double-clip diamond brooch would be the perfect jewel to conclude today’s posts. 

I don’t need to tell you that this was made between 1930 and 1940 during that luscious period when dense concentrations of diamonds and other gemstones were en vogue. The fashion started in the 1920s and is also known for the use of platinum settings which did not intrude on the look of the piece. 

Brooches like this one were quite popular during this period. Not only were they attractive, but they were versatile. And, in a way economical since a lady could get several looks from one piece of jewelry. The brooch can be worn as a whole or it can be divided into two identical halves which were worn as clips. Diamond clips were placed on lapels or opposing one another on the neckline of a gown. 

This example gleams with brilliant-cut, baguette and square-cut diamonds. It was made in England by a now unknown jeweler. It’s part of the beautiful collection of The Bettine, Lady Abingdon in the V&A. 

Other brooches (with a necklace and earrings) from the collection.  We've studied most of these.

Gifts of Grandeur: A Platinum and Diamond Bow Brooch, 1930-1940

Brooch
Platinum and Diamonds
1930-1940
The Victoria and Albert Museum

If Jack Ketch used this knot as his noose, more people would rush to be hanged. In another superb example of antique jewelry from the V&A, we see this diamond and platinum bow brooch made between 1930 and 1940. 

The brooch features pavé-set brilliant-cut which create the ribbon-y loops of the bow. The knot itself is crafted from baguette-cut stones which are repeated in the tails of the bow. Black onyx—a frequent medium in Art Deco jewelry—outlines the piece and gives it added weight and depth.

Object of the Day, Museum Edition: An Art Deco Platinum and Diamond Brooch, 1925

Brooch
Platinum and Diamonds
1925-1935
French
The Victoria & Albert Museum

King George V enjoyed giving little trinkets to his wife, Queen Mary, who always delighted in jewels and baubles. Mary was especially fond of diamond pieces which encouraged the play of light between the stones. This brooch, made in Europe between 1925 and 1935, is just the sort of thing that would have appealed to Mary of Teck.

Jewelry set only with diamonds has been created for centuries, however, the style really came into its own as it once again rose in prominence during the Art Deco period. During this creative era, jewelers experimented with various shapes and cuts of diamonds and devised new ways to fit them together.

This is the work of the jeweler Georges Fouquet who wrote in the Studio magazine in 1929, “But how new is this white stone jewellery, and how much it differs from the old... The wand-shaped brilliants give different reflections from the round ones, and the most varied play of light may be obtained by arranging them side by side.”

Masterpiece of the Week: A Gorgeous Art Deco Brooch, 1920

Brooch
The Victoria & Albert Museum

The work of an unknown maker this assemblage of platinum, gold, diamonds, mother-of-pearl, common light opal, moonstones and sapphires is the epitome of Art Deco jewelry design.

Its central mother of pearl panel and the reverse of this brooch appear to have been inspired by a rug design. According to the Victoria & Albert Museum, “Simple rug designs, with their flat, stepped geometric patterns fit well with the principles of Art Deco but appear to have been used only very rarely as a design source for jewellery.”

The icy diamonds and gentle blend of colored stones create a hufe visual impact when combined. It is the perfect brooch and neatly sums up the ideals of the period. 

Mastery of Design: A Trembler by Bulgari, 1958

This and all related images from:
The British Museum

Made in 1958 by Bulgari in Rome, this diamond and sapphire clip brooch revives the late Eighteenth Century fashion of the floral spray ornament.  The stems of the flowers are set with baguette (baton cut) diamonds, and the know of the ribbon at the base is set with rectangular diamonds.  

The signed, platinum mount features a double-pronged clip fitting for wear on the edge of a dress or lapel if desired.  A nod to Victorian fashion, the flowers are mounted en tremblant on spring settings so that they quiver as the wearer moves. 

Mastery of Design: The Cartier Mughal Emerald Dress Clip, c. 1935

Dress Clip
Cartier, 1935
This and all related images from The British Museum

The work of Cartier, an Seventeenth-Eighteenth Century, Mughal carved emerald is set in a diamond and platinum mount dating to 1935.  The clip brooch features a hinged fitting for the platinum double prong at the top and set with round and baguette-cut diamonds, forming a lotus-like flower head. 

The antique carved emerald at the front is adorned with a single bloom with radiating petals, the tips of which are flipped to create a three-dimensional effect. At the back, the carving depicts a triple leaf with surrounding foliage. 

The emerald is drilled with suspension holes at the top and the bottom in order to accommodate hanging on a necklace. 

Mastery of Design: The Liberty Blood Red Fire Opal Ring and Necklace, 1926-1927

Fire Opal Ring and Pendant in Platinum and Diamond Settings
The British Museum

Click Images to Enlarge.

Liberty & Co. of London and Paris produced this platinum-set finger ring and pendant for Christmas of 1926-1927.  The set glitters with the pristine sparkle of diamonds and the unusual glow of blood red fire opals.  

This extraordinary pair of rare fire opals is part of an impressive collection of jewels from the 1920s-1950s which was donated to the British Museum in 1978 by Professor John and Anne Hull Grundy.  

Mastery of Design: A Fantastic Blue Diamond Ring, 1920-60

Blue Diamond Ring with Platinum and Baguette Setting\
This and all related images from
The British Museum

Given to the British Museum by an anonymous donor, the centerpiece of this ring is a brilliant-cut blue diamond weighing nearly 16 carats. The stone itself shows signs of being cut in the 1920s, however, the setting--a mount of platinum with three-stone baguette diamond shoulders suggests the style of the 1940s-1960s.

Bearing no markings, the maker of the ring is unknown, but it is believed to be British.





As I'm still on the mend, I'll be taking Saturday and Sunday to recuperate. Regular posting will resume on Monday and we'll finally get back to the usual schedule. Monday will see "A Tale of Two Sundays," as we catch up with our "Treats of the Week," and, as an added bonus, you'll get a third treat, mid-week. Lots of excitement ahead, and, I've found some LOVELY new items to share with you.

See you Monday.

Mastery of Design: Over 100 carats of Fun, Diamond Earrings from the British Museum

Diamond Earrings
1940-1950
This and all related images from
The British Museum

Created between 1940 and 1950, this pair of platinum and diamond earrings contains two large pear-shaped unmatched Indian diamonds.  One is 50 carats, while the other weighs in a 55 carats.  They are hung from platinum mounts set with smaller baguette (baton-cut) diamonds. The pair still resides in the original red leather, fitted case.

The pear-shaped diamonds, while spectacular, do not match, obviously, in size, nor exactly in shape.  This owes to the fact that the diamonds were not cut to match, but rather to highlight their best clarity.  The difference would have been much less obvious when worn.  But, really, if you're wearing over 100 carats, who cares if they are exactly the same?

Strangely, the jeweler is unknown.  They're made in the Western style popular during the period in America and Europe, and they could have been produced on either continent.

Now housed in the British Museum, the earrings were given by an anonymous donor.  Click on the images to enlarge them.

Gifts of Grandeur: The Cartier Encrusted Emeralds Necklace and Earrings

Diamond Rope Necklace and Earrings; Hung with Encrusted Emeralds
Necklace and Earrings:  Diamond Mounts, London Cartier, c. 1935
Emeralds:  Indian, Moghul, 18th-19th Centuries
Image Courtesy of the British Museum
Click on Image to Enlarge.

On Wednesday, we'll be taking a look at the wonderful Fourth of July Celebration that Bertie and I enjoyed with my parents. In the meantime, let's get have some fireworks of a different kind with this simply stunning parure of diamonds, platinum, gold, emeralds and rubies which I recently stumbled upon while researching the collection of the British Museum.

A magnificent necklace and earrings of platinum, brilliant cut diamonds and baguettes are hung with cabochon emeralds inlaid with ruby and diamond flowers.  These enchanting  emeralds are Indian, Mughal, set during the 18th-19th centuries while the diamond mounts, clearly in the western style, are later additions by Cartier, dating to the mid 1930s.  

The front piece of the ravishing diamond necklace forms a tasselled rope which loops into a double strand of diamonds round the back.  There, the clasp is formed by a large circular encrusted emerald.  The parure is still contained in its original fitted red leather Cartier case.

The encrusted emeralds were found when Cartier travelled throughout India.  The trip was initially to attract wealthy Indian clients who desired to have their jewels reset in platinum in the Western taste of the 1920s.  While there, they found and purchased vast amounts of Indian stones and pearls which they brought back to London to mount for the fashionable society ladies of Paris and London who clamored for jewels in the Indian style.  The grass is always greener.  Of special impact were the many emeralds with which the Cartier team returned.  The Cartier showpieces at the 1925 Paris International Exhibition featured many of these emeralds.  This set of exquisite flower-set emeralds was reserved specifically for this important parure.

I insist that you click on the image above to see the detail of this masterpiece.