Catalog: Estate Jewelry: Gold (1010)

A superb pair of Victorian 12K gold articulated earrings set with Whitby jet. The long triangular elements are suspended from inverted double teardrop-shaped surmounts, and support cone-shaped jet drops. The cutting of the jet has a very angular, almost modernist appearance. The earrings hang from new 14K shepherd's hooks and have wonderful movement. The settings are tested and guaranteed 12K.

• Origin: England, ca 1860.
• Condition: excellent.
• Dimensions: 2-3/16" long from top of the earwire.
• Weight: 3.5 grams.

A classic Art Deco 18K white gold Russian braid chain necklace with opal cabochons and faceted onyx beads sandwiched together into egg-shaped stations along the length. The opals have nice play-of-color with a preponderance of blues and greens. Most station chain necklaces are quite long, but the shorter length of this example makes for a very wearable, delicate look. The clasp is stamped with French 18K marks.

• Origin: France, ca. 1925
• Condition: very good, two opals have small flakes on the pointed end visible upon very close inspection
• Dimensions: chain length, 17-1/4”; stations, 3/16” diameter
• Weight: 2.8 grams

A lovely Art Nouveau 14K yellow gold floral brooch featuring an ornate lily blossom enameled in translucent shades of blue and yellow enamel. The engraving of the gold surface under the enamel shows through to add elegant texture. The flower is centered by a small old mine cut diamond and is surrounded by a swirling frame set with 59 seed pearls. The reverse retains the original watch hook. Tested and guaranteed 14K.

Origin: America, ca. 1900. Condition: excellent, no enamel damage, replaced clasp. Dimensions: 1-1/4" x 1-1/16". Weight: 5.2 gr. Approximate Total Diamond Weight: .03 ct.

An elegant vintage 14K yellow gold and pearl brooch by Mikimoto. The stylized feather design is typical of Mikimoto’s vintage pieces and is particularly suitable for daytime wear. The pearls, ranging in size to 5.5 to 7.2 millimeters, have ivory body color with rose overtones and superb luster. The quality is estimated at A+1. The back of the pin is marked “K14” and bears the Mikimoto oyster shell hallmark.

Origin: Japan, ca. 1970. Condition: excellent, all original. Size: 2-1/4” x 1-3/16”. Weight: 10.5 grams.

A lovely Art Nouveau 14K yellow gold medallion pin depicting Hamlet’s beloved Ophelia (the brooch uses the French spelling “Ophelie”) surrounded by cattails, willow branches and waterlilies, all symbols of her watery grave after she was spurned by Hamlet. Her hair is studded with small old mine cut diamonds. The back has a hook that would have been used to suspend a watch. The back retains the original c-clasp (marked 14K) and extended pinstem. Unlike most Art Nouveau medallion pins, this example is not hollow and is heavy. This design was created by the French jeweler Emile-Séraphin Vernier (1852-1927) and was introduced at the 1908 Exposition de la Parure de la Femme in Paris.

Origin: America, ca. 1900. Condition: excellent, sharp detail. Size: 1” diameter. Weight: 7.4 grams. Approximate Total Diamond Weight: .1 carat.

A classic vintage Mikimoto brooch featuring pearls set in 14K yellow gold. The swirled design includes ten pearls of superb quality, estimated at AA quality. The surfaces are smooth, the luster is bright and the body color is cream with rose overtones. The pearls range in size from 5.5 to 7.7 millimeters. The gold “leaves” are pierced to provide a sense of lightness despite the pin’s relatively generous size. The back retains the original typical Mikimoto clasp and is signed with Mikimoto’s hallmark and “K14”.

Origin: Japan, ca. 1980. Condition: excellent, all original. Size: 2-1/4” x 1-3/8”.

A superb Victorian shell cameo depicting Jesus wearing the crown of thorns set in a simple 18K gold frame. The cameo is beautifully carved with extraordinary detailing to the hair. The shell's shape is deeply cupped and adds wonderful depth to the design. Cameos depicting Jesus are extremely rare Tested and guaranteed 18K.

• America, circa 1860.
• Excellent condition; no cracks to shell
• 1-23/32" x 1-3/8"
• 11.2 grams

A classy pair of dangle earrings featuring oval cabochon aquamarines and round cabochon sapphires in a simple collet setting. These would look equally good with jeans or a cocktail dress. Tested and guaranteed 18K gold.

• Dimensions: 1-7/16” long
• Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: aquamarine, 8.52 carats; sapphire, 1.06 carats
• Weight: 5.0 grams

A rare Victorian 14K yellow gold stick pin featuring a reverse-carved Essex crystal depicting a Chihuahua. Various dog breeds were depicted in Essex crystals, but this is the only piece we’ve seen with a dog that looks like a Chihuahua. The round setting, with its simple but finely crafted rope-twist border highlights the carved crystal. The colors are strong. The background appears to be silvered instead of the more usual mother-of-pearl. Tested and guaranteed 14K gold.

Origin: America, ca. 1885. Condition: some oxidation to painted details. Size: head, 13/16” diameter; overall length, 2-3/4”. Weight: 6.75 grams.

A very pretty pierced wedding band depicting rose gold Tudor roses alternating with yellow gold clusters of cherries. Each rose is centered with a synthetic ruby. Rubies from the Retro period are almost always synthetics because the mining of natural rubies was not possible during World War II. The design is very crisp. Tested and guaranteed 14K.

• Origin: America, ca. 1940
• Condition: excellent
• Dimensions: 9/32" wide
• Finger Size: 6-1/2
• Weight: 4.6 grams
• Approximate Total Ruby Weight: .28 carat

A particularly nice mid-century 14K yellow begging poodle pin, the eyes, nose and tongue set with bright cabochon rubies. The dog is completed with a white gold collar set with diamonds. The gold has a Florentine finish to represent the clipped areas of fur. The brightness of the rubies and the perky attitude sets this poodle pin apart. The clasp is marked "14K."

• Origin: America, ca. 1950
• Condition: excellent, all original
• Dimensions: 1-3/4” x 1”
• Weight: 11.0 grams
• Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: diamond, .1 carat; ruby, .4 carat

A lovely and unusual Retro 14K yellow gold floral pin, the flower set with a large round moonstone cabochon surrounded by round cut rhodolite garnet petals. The bouquet is tied together with a collet-set round cut citrine. The gemstones are of very fine quality. The moonstone has excellent blue adularescence and the rhodolites have intense raspberry red coloring. Rhodolite garnets are not often seen in Retro jewels. The clasp is marked “14K”.

Origin: America, ca. 1940. Condition: excellent, all original. Size: 2-5/8” x 1-5/16”. Weight: 9.6 grams. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: moonstone, 7.0 cts; rhodolite, 3.51 cts; citrine, .45 ct.

A nice pair of modernist 14K yellow gold and pearl earrings. 5.2-millimeter pearl studs suspend faceted gold bars that, in turn, suspend open-work gold spheres studded with pearls. Each sphere comprises a dozen 4.9 millimeter cultured pearls of very good quality. The body color is cream with rose overtones. The luster is bright and the surfaces are smooth. Each of the spheres is completed with the addition of prong-set seed pearls. The spheres dangle freely and exhibit lots of movement. During the late 1950s and 1960s, scientific knowledge became an inspiration for jewelry designers who began turning pieces like “Sputnik” rings. The arrangement of the pearls and the underlying gold structure of these earrings is clearly based on atomic-level molecule models. Tested and guaranteed 14K.

Origin: America, ca. 1960. Condition: excellent, all original. Size: 1-3/8” long; 5/8” diameter. Weight: 8.5 grams.

An elegant and playful 18K gold “Lentil” pendant studded with an array of colored diamonds—pale blue, green, canary yellow and pink—each in a round brilliant-cut. The gold surface has a matte Russian finish that contrasts beautifully with the sparkle of the diamonds. Perret is one of the most acclaimed jewelry designers in America. He has won DeBeers’ diamond award twice, has been a consultant to Tiffany & Co. and has designed and manufactured a line of jewels for Mikimoto. He is most noted for his work with rare colored diamonds. The pendant looks best worn on a gold snake or wire chain. The back of the pendant is signed “Etienne Perret”, has the maker’s mark, and “18K”. Similar pendants are currently available from Perret, priced at approximately $1,200.

Origin: America, contemporary. Size: 17mm. Condition: excellent, a tiny scratch to the front surface visible upon very close inspection. Approximate Total Diamond Weight: .1 carat.

A very fine Retro Moderne brooch in the form of a three-leaf clover, each leaf fashioned from an heart-shaped aquamarine, and centered with a pearl. The aquamarines are simply framed in gold collet settings with halo wirework accented with beading. The stones, 1.33 carats on either side and 1.87 carats at the top, have stunning pure blue coloring without a hint of gray. The 5.5mm pearl has an ivory body color with rosé overtones, and a very nice, lustrous surface. The back of the brooch retains the original pinstem and safety clasp, and is marked “14K”.

Origin: America, ca. 1940. Condition: Excellent, all original. Size: 15/16” x 1-7/32”. Weight: 4.0 grams. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: 4.53 carats.

A very fine Victorian tortoise shell pin inlaid with gold and silver in a floral and butterfly pattern. The design is beautifully executed and is a bit more ornate than much piqué work. The inlaid metals are engraved to add even more depth to the design. The tortoise is nicely translucent when held to strong light. The back retains the original pinstem, but the clasp is a replacement.

Origin: America, ca. 1870. Condition: excellent, no missing inlay, replaced clasp. Size: 1-5/8” x 1-3/16”.

PLEASE NOTE: This item cannot be shipped outside the United States.

An elegant 14K gold, Mississippi River pearl and blue sapphire floral pendant in the Art Nouveau taste suspended from a split chain. The flower petals are formed from pearls and center a blue sapphire of fine, intense color. The design is enclosed in a gold frame that resembles the shape of a pretzel! The pendant was originally a brooch and was expertly converted to a pendant by our jeweler. Tested and guaranteed 14K.

• America, ca. 1900.
Condition: excellent.
• Dimensions: pendant, 1" x 5/8"; overall necklace length, 18-7/8".
• Weight: 4.8 grams.
• Approximate Sapphire Weight: .15 carat.

A vintage Cartier “Trinity” pendant worked in 18K yellow, white and rose gold. Unlike the contemporary “Trinity” pendants that are essentially miniaturized versions of Cartier’s “Trinity” or rolling rings, this pendant is fashioned as a large yellow gold disc enhanced with tri-color gold “Trinity” rings. The gold has a soft matte finish. The pendant looks best hanging from a black silk cord, but can also be worn on a silk cord bracelet. Replacing the black silk with a leather cord, the pendant can be worn by a man. The pendant is signed “Cartier” and has the serial number “H14175”, Italian and French hallmarks, and a 1995 copyright.

Origin: France/Italy, ca. 1995. Condition: very good, normal surface wear from contact with a chain. Size: 11/16” diameter. Weight: 7.6 grams.