Catalog: Estate Jewelry (1615)

A very rare pair of 18K yellow gold cufflinks designed by Soren Georg Jensen for the firm founded by his father, Georg Jensen. Designed in 1962, during his first year as the firm's artistic director, these cufflinks are a clear example of the stripped-down, modernist sculptural direction the younger Jensen wanted to pursue. Jensen's gold jewelry is considerably rarer than silver, and was often retailed by Jensen at ten times the price of the same design in silver. The cufflinks are appropriately hallmarked and have the design number "1091".

Origin: Denmark, ca. 1965. Condition: excellent, no monogram. Size: 11/16" diameter. Weight: 17.4 grams.

A lovely 18K yellow gold Sputnik ring by H Stern. The dome is bezel-set with round citrines amethysts, green and pink tourmalines, garnets and aquamarines. This design was created in the 1950s to highlight the range of colored gemstones available from Stern’s Brazilian mines. It came to be called “Sputnik” because of its resemblance to the spiky Soviet satellite launched in 1957. Each piece has a unique appearance depending on the particular selection and placement of the stones. This particular example has a warm appearance, with an abundance of medium-tone gold and deep crimson colors. Tested and guaranteed 18K.

Origin: Brazil, ca. 1955. Condition: excellent, all original. Dimensions: dome, 11/16” diameter. Finger Size: 6-3/4. Weight: 3.5 grams. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: 3.14 cts.

A fabulous pair of 18K yellow gold Sputnik DANGLE earrings by H Stern. The spheres are bezel-set with round amethysts, citrines, aquamarines, peridots, green tourmalines, pink tourmalines and garnets. The Sputnik design was created in the 1950s to highlight the range of colored gemstones available from Stern's Brazilian mines. It later came to be called "Sputnik" for its resemblance to the spiky Soviet satellite launched in 1957. Each piece has a unique appearance depending on the specific colors of the stones and their arrangement. These earrings are the only examples of dangle Sputniks we have ever seen. Tested and guaranteed 18K.

• Origin: Brazil, ca. 1960
• Condition: excellent, all original
• Dimensions: spheres, 19/32" (16mm) diameter; length, 1-5/8" (44mm)
• Weight: 6.7 grams
• Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: 5.2 carats

A handsome pair of 9K yellow gold toggle-back cufflinks, the faces depicting fox heads encircled by horseshoes. The foxes have citrine eyes. All elements are very nicely detailed. The backs are stamped with 9K gold hallmarks, the maker’s mark for Cropp & Farr, and the date mark for 1966.

• Origin: England, 1966
• Condition: excellent
• Dimensions: faces, 5/8” x 9/16”
• Weight: 9.6 grams

A lovely 18K yellow gold, diamond, and ruby love pendant (“medaille d’amour”) with a rebus spelling out “Plus qu’hier, moins que demain” (“More than yesterday, less than tomorrow”), a line from the love poem written by Rosemonde Gérard to her husband Edmond Rostand (author of “Cyrano de Bergerac”) in 1889. In 1907, the Lyonnais jewelry Alphonse Augis created a love token based on the poem. His designs changed over time and this piece is a classic example from the 1960s. The heart-shaped medallion is surrounded by a border of smaller hearts alternating with prong-set synthetic rubies. The front is signed A.A. and the pendant is stamped with French 18K marks.

• Origin: France, ca. 1965
• Condition: very good
• Dimensions: 7/8” x 7/8” (excluding bail and jump ring)
• Weight: 4.7 grams

An exceptional Boucheron cocktail ring set with nine round brilliant diamonds and thirteen round emeralds. The diamonds are graded as E/VVS1 and the emeralds have intensely saturated medium-dark green color and very good clarity. The emeralds are characteristic of stones from Colombia. The glamorous marquise shape is generously sized, covering the entire first portion of the finger. The stones are clustered tightly together so almost no gold shows from the top, and layered so the crown rises more than a half-inch from the surface of the finger. The interior of the shank is signed "Boucheron Paris", "Or 750", "51469". The exterior is stamped with the French guarantee mark and the master goldsmith's mark.

Origin: France, ca. 1960. Condition: excellent. Dimensions: crown, 1-3/16" x 3/4". Finger Size: 6-1/2. Weight: 9.0 gr. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: diamond, 2.75 cts; emerald, 3.75 cts. Boucheron's exceptional diamond and emerald cocktail ring set in 18K yellow gold packs a punch of color and glitter. The glamorous marquise shape covers the entire first joint of the finger with shimmering gemstones. The stones are layered tightly together so almost no gold shows through and layered so that the crown of the ring stands more than a half-inch off the finger. The nine round brilliant cut diamonds have E color and VVS1 clarity, and the twelve emeralds have intensely saturated color xcellent cut and clarity. The ring

A wonderfully heavy vintage silver bracelet by Hermès. The bracelet has a triangular profile that stands well out from the surface of the wrist and a masterfully constructed so that it is flexible, but appears rigid when being worn. The inside edges of each link are parcel gilt, so the bracelet sometimes shows the slightest gold hue. This is probably the heaviest Hermès bracelet we have seen. The bracelet is presented in its original vintage fitted Hermès gray box. The bracelet is fully hallmarked with French first standard (950/1000 pure) silver marks and Hermès maker’s mark indicating it was made in the company’s own ateliers instead of being farmed out to other makers as was sometimes the case. The clasp is also signed “Hermès.”

• Origin: France, ca. 1960
• Condition: excellent
• Dimensions: 11/16” wide; 3/8” high; 8-1/4” long
• Weight: 148.0 grams.

An extraordinary modernist fringe necklace in 18K yellow gold and green tourmaline by the famed Brazilian modernist jeweler Haroldo Burle Marx. Burle Marx invented the technique of carving and tumbling forma livre ("free form") gemstones in 1948, and the technique became his signature. Most often, he used colorful stones native to Brazil—tourmalines, amethysts, aquamarines, citrines, etc. The tourmalines in this necklace are of the finest quality, with pure deep green coloring that contrasts beautifully with the gold mounting. Burle Marx never used pre-cast elements in his jewelry, and each piece was completely raised by hand from a gold ingot. All the plain gold links are accented with a brushed texture, and the links set with tourmalines have a contrasting florentined finish. The back of the clasp is stamped with Burle Marx's signature and 18K marks.

Burle Marx worked in his native Brazil, and his only international boutique was at the Watergate Hotel in Washington, DC. He was chosen by the Brazilian government to create state gifts for the empresses of Japan and Iran, the queen of Denmark, and the prime minister of India, among others. In Hollywood circles, he was a favored jeweler to Natalie Wood and Mergle Oberon.

Origin: Brazil, ca. 1965. Condition: excellent, all original. Dimensions: 2-1/16" wide from the necklace line to the bottom of the central drop; overall necklace length, 16" (our jeweler can hand-make additional matching links to achieve your desired overall length.) Weight: 81.2 gr. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: 57.58 cts.

NOTE: We also have a matching ring acquired from the same source (Item #1350545).

Elegant vintage 14K yellow gold brooch set with eight beautiful Mikimoto pearls. The pearls are, of course, of the very finest quality. They have bright white body color with silver overtones. The surfaces are very smooth and the nacre thick. The pearls range in size from 5 to 7.5 mm. The back of the pin is marked with Mikimoto’s hallmark and “K14”.

Origin: Japan, circa 1950s. Condition: excellent, all original. Size: 1-7/8” x 1-1/4”. Weight: 11.0 grams.

Lovely vintage brooch by Mikimoto featuring five stunning pearls set in a triple arch of sterling silver. The pearls, graduating from 5 to 5.5 mm, are of the finest quality. The body color is white with an ivory overtone. The lustre is excellent. The back of the brooch is stamped with Mikimoto's hallmark and "S" for sterling.

Origin: Japan, circa 1960. Condition: excellent, all original. Size: 1-7/8" x 1-5/8". Weight: 7.0 grams.

A heavy pair of mid-century double-sided cufflinks, the faces woven from gold rope. The overall look is similar to the Parisian work of Georges Lenfant. The back faces are smaller for ease in putting them through the cuff. The faces are joined by figure-8 connectors stamped “14K.”

• Origin: America, ca. 1965
• Condition: excellent
• Dimensions: larger faces, 1/2” x 1/2" x 1/2”; smaller faces 3/8” x 3/8” x 3/8”
• Weight: 23.4 grams

A very handsome pair of 18K yellow gold cufflinks, the square faces set with calibré cut blue sapphires in a raised frame. The sapphires have deep, saturated color that contrasts very nicely the surrounding gold. The surfaces are expertly engraved in what at first appears to be a basketweave pattern, but is in fact a complex plaid pattern. The cufflinks close with an unusual snap mechanism that requires the ends of the back baton face to be pressed in. Each cufflink is fully stamped with French 18K marks and with an unidentified master goldsmith mark.

Origin: France, ca. 1960. Condition: excellent, all original, sharp detail. Dimensions: 15 x 15mm (9/16 x 9/16 in). Weight: 16.3 gr. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: 1.15 ct.

A fabulous 14K yellow gold and platinum brooch by William Ruser commissioned to celebrate the astounding victory of the Pittsburgh Pirates over the New York Yankees in the 1960 World Series. The brooch is designed as one of Ruser's classic waif-like children, this time dressed in a pirate's costume. One eye is set with a blue sapphire and the other is covered with a platinum eyepatch highlighted with matte black enamel. A platinum earring dangles from one ear. In one hand he holds a baseball bat and in the other a World Series crown set with sapphires and a ruby. The pirate appears to be walking across a bouquet of flowers made of natural freshwater pearls. Each flower is centered with a prong-set brilliant round-cut diamond. Small gold flowers centered blue sapphires complete the bouquet. The back is engraved "Pittsburgh Pirates World Champions 1960". It is also signed by Ruser and marked appropriately for 14K gold and platinum.

Ruser was famed for his jewels featuring dogs, cherubs and children. He was favored by major Hollywood stars such as Joan Crawford and Loretta Young. He also accepted unusual commission opportunities that allowed for creative use of his favorite design elements. This is one of the wittiest examples of Ruser's work we've seen. He used only the finest raw materials and the design is masterful. Along with a tie bar he designed for one of the stars of the Indy 500, this brooch is probably the finest example of Ruser's sports-related commissions.

Origin: America, 1960. Condition: excellent, all original. Size: 2-1/4" x 2". Weight: 27.0 grams. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: ruby, .02 carat; sapphire, .43 carat; diamond, .15 carat.

An extraordinary 18K gold and gemstone ring by H Stern in the brutalist style of the 1950s and 60s. The design ethic is evident in the jagged outlines, arching construction and jarring color juxtapositions. As with all H Stern jewelry of the period, the amethysts, peridots and hessonite garnets are of excellent quality. The gold surfaces are stippled for additional interest. This ring surpasses being mere jewelry, becoming architecture for the hand. The interior of the shank is stamped with Stern's hallmark.

• Origin: Brazil, ca. 1965
• Condition: excellent.
• Dimensions: crown, 1-7/16" wide
• Finger Size: 9
• Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: hessonite garnet, 2.16 carats; peridot, 1.83 carats; amethyst, 1.8 carats
• Weight: 17.8 grams

A very attractive 18K yellow gold ring set with an amethyst by the famed mid-century Brazilian designer Haroldo Burle Marx. Burle Marx is well-known for his free form designs, but his collaborations with his brother, the landscape architect Roberto Burle Marx, had a much more linear, abstract feel as in this piece. The amethyst at the center is of the very finest quality, with intensely purple color and excellent clarity. The gold is completed with the finely worked florentined finish typical of Burle Marx's work. The interior of the shank is fully signed.

Burle Marx worked in his native Brazil, and his only international boutique was at the Watergate Hotel in Washington, DC. He was chosen by the Brazilian government to create state gifts for Queen Elizabeth, Empress Nagako of Japan, Empress Farah Diba of Iran, Queen Margarethe of Denmark, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi of India, and many others. In Hollywood circles, he was a favored jeweler to Merle Oberon and Natalie Wood.

• Brazil, ca 1970
• Excellent condition
• 1-1/16" wide at crown, tapering to 3/16" at the back of the shank
• Finger Size: 5-3/4
• 17.0 grams
• Approximate Gemstone Weight: 3.08 carats

A fine modernist 18K yellow gold ring by Burle Marx set with an intricately carved amethyst in the "forma livre" (free form) style. Haroldo Burle Marx was particularly known for his use of large gemstones, often fashioned by carving or tumbling rather than faceting, a technique he invented in 1948. The amethyst's deep purple color beautifully contrasts with the gold, which is worked with florentined engraving typical of Marx's pieces. Tested and guaranteed 18K. Marx did not always sign his pieces; this ring was either unsigned or the signature was removed when the ring was resized at the back of the shank.

Marx worked in his native Brazil, and his only international boutique was at the Watergate Hotel in Washington, DC. He was chosen by the Brazilian government to create gifts for visiting heads of state and their wives, including Empress Nagako of Japan, Empress Farah Diba of Iran, Queen Margarethe of Denmark and Prime Minister Indira Gandhi of India. He was also a favorite jeweler of Natalie Wood and Merle Oberon. One of his most important commissions was a gem-encrusted cross for Pope John Paul II.

Origin: Brazil, ca. 1965. Condition: excellent, the ring has been sized at the back of the shank. Finger Size: 8. Dimensions: crown, 1" x 9/16"; shank tapers to 3/16" at the back. Weight: 15.3 gr.

Fabulous 1960's David Webb seven-strand emerald bead torsade necklace finished with an 18K yellow gold clasp featuring a cushion-shaped rock crystal plaque centering a oval cabochon emerald flanked at the top and bottom with round brilliant-cut diamonds. This design is so evocative of the classic chunky Webb style, and the workmanship is of the finest quality. The diamonds are F color, VVS2 clarity. The 305 carats of fully-faceted emerald beads are fully faceted and are beautifully matched to the 27.28-carat cabochon emerald in the clasp. The emeralds, graded as "medium, moderately-strong, slightly yellowish green" (slyG 4/4), have a very pleasing and lively appearance. The clasp is signed "Webb" and is marked "18K".

When worn with the clasp, the necklace can be worn with the clasp at the front, back or to the side (our favorite). The torsade may also be worn without the clasp. For an even simpler, more modern look, the clasp may be threaded on a black silk cord as a pendant.

Origin: America, ca. 1965. Condition: excellent, all original. Size: overall length, 17-5/8"; clasp, 1-3/8" x 1-3/16". Weight: clasp, 26.0 grams. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: diamond, 1.16 carats; emerald, 332.28 carats.

A beautiful pair of 18K yellow gold and diamond earrings by Gucci. The earrings are designed in a sort of “knitted” ropetwist pattern, the tops sprinkled with round single cut diamonds. The stones are graded as I color and SI1 clarity. Both earrings are marked “18Ct Italy” and signed “Gucci”. The earrings retain their original posts and omega clips, and are presented in their original fitted Gucci box.

Origin: Italy, ca. 1960. Condition: excellent, all original. Size: 11/16” long; 1/2” wide. Weight: 10.9 gr. Approximate Total Diamond Weight: .30 ct.