Fine Pendant Brooch with Emerald & Diamonds in Platinum, c. 1910

The growth and development of plants was one of the most important sources of inspiration for the artists of the turn of the century and Art Nouveau. Just as the first blossoms of spring herald the new year and the new beginning of life after the dark winter, Art Nouveau also sought a new beginning in the evening years of the 19th century - in art as well as in life. New forms in architecture, painting and the decorative arts were intended to give people more freedom and make life happier through aesthetic design. This piece of jewellery is a particularly precious child of this movement. At its center rises a sparkling little plant: Leaves made of diamonds, a blossom made of an emerald of about one carat. The small plant is surrounded by filigree platinum bars set with further diamonds of different sizes - some set individually, others in sparkling strips. These fine bars, often only as fine as a hair when viewed from the front, gain their stability in depth and form an openwork, almost floating arrangement that spans the emerald in an arch. They are known as "knife wires" - a typical design feature of the era that enabled visually lighter, more delicate designs than ever before. Diamond-studded bands of platinum are wrapped around the plant, the outer curved bands show fine, abstract leaf motifs - they appear to be moved by the wind, random and light. Below, a free-swinging pearl is attached to a row of graduated diamonds, gently rounding off the design. Like many precious pieces of jewellery from the early 20th century, this one can be worn in different ways, so the investment in this piece of jewellery had better pay off: On the one hand, it is a brooch. For this purpose, a pin and a safety clasp can be screwed into the back of the piece of jewellery. On the other hand, it is also a pendant: two curved bows on the back offer the option of attaching a platinum chain that we have added. Overall, the light and airy brooch combines around 1.90 carats of fine diamonds in platinum. The brooch is made of gold. An independent expert opinion from Vienna has confirmed the quality of the materials. We discovered the first-class work in Hamburg.

Estimate:£8,061.09

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