Catalog: Estate Jewelry (1615)

A large pair of 18K yellow gold Sputnik earrings by H Stern. The domes are bezel-set with round amethysts, citrines, aquamarines, peridots, green tourmalines, pink tourmalines and garnets. The Sputnik design was created in the 1950’s 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 spike Soviet satellite launched in 1957. Each piece has a unique appearance depending on the specific colors of the stones and their arrangement. The earrings currently have posts, but those could be removed, if desired. Marked with an older Stern hallmark.

• Origin: Brazil, ca 1955.
• Dimensions: 15/16” diameter.
• Weight: 12.9 grams.
• Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: 10.11 carats.
• Condition: excellent; all original; no dings

A nice 18K rose gold Sputnik ring by H Stern in a desirable smaller size. The dome is bezel-set with nineteen round citrines, amethysts, pink and green tourmalines, garnets and aquamarines. This design was created in the 1950s to highlight the range of colored gemstones available from Stern's Brazilian mines. Each piece has a unique appearance depending on the particular selection and placement of the stones. The gems in this ring have nice contrast between the paler aquamarines and the darker garnets and amethysts. Sputnik rings can be quite large, but this one is small enough for a delicate hand or to be worn on a pinky finger. Tested and guaranteed 18K. Origin: Brazil, ca. 1955. Condition: excellent, all original. Dimensions: dome, 5/8" diameter. Finger Size: 6-1/2. Weight: 3.2 gr. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: 1.46 cts.

A heavy Retro bracelet in 14K yellow gold set with amethysts by Tiffany & Co. The bracelet is designed as large arched links, each centered by rectangular step-cut amethyst. The stones have vivid violet coloring and excellent brilliance, without the color zoning that sometimes mars amethysts. The clasp is stamped Tiffany & Co. The bracelet is presented in its original leather and silk box.

Origin: America, ca. 1935. Condition: excellent. Dimensions: 21/32†wide; 7†long. Weight: 53.4 gr. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: 24.3 cts.

An interesting late Retro 14K yellow gold bracelet worked as a series of sextupled cable links that are slightly flattened so they splay out sideways to create a wide bracelet with a sort of optical illusion effect. The clasp is decorated so the bracelet appears seamless when being worn. The open link design makes this a perfect bracelet to wear on its own or with chunky, heavy charms. The interior of the clasp is marked “14K.”

• Origin: America, ca. 1950
• Condition: excellent
• Dimensions: 5/8” wide; 7” long
• Weight: 38.2 grams

A lovely 18K yellow gold hinged bangle bracelet in the Edwardian style, set with a row of fifteen well-matched oval brilliant cut blue sapphires in graduated sizes, flanked at either end with small rose cut diamonds. The sapphires have very nice medium-tone violetish-blue coloring with very good clarity. There are no indications of heat treatment. The bracelet is stamped with Italian hallmarks in use 1944-1968.

Origin: Alessandria, Italy, ca. 1950. Condition: excellent. Dimensions: 7/32" wide; 6-1/2" circumference. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: sapphhire, 4.35 cts; diamond, .10 ct. Weight: 17.6 gr.

A handsome pair of double-sided cufflinks featuring oval carnelian cabochons simply set in 14K yellow gold mountings. The carnelians have exceptionally rich color and translucency, creating a particularly striking look. Each cufflink is stamped "585" for 14K and also with an unidentified European maker's mark "FA".

• Origin: Continental Europe, ca. 1940.
• Dimensions: faces, 1/2" x 11/16".
• Weight: 9.5 grams.
• Condition: excellent.

A very handsome Retro bracelet worked in rose and yellow gold links enhanced with engraving in a snakeskin texture. The color contrast is very attractive, and the links are made in such a way that the bracelet drapes very nicely on the wrist. The box clasp is stamped with Italian gold marks of the period and the goldsmith’s registry number 1 TO for Antica Ditta Marchisio (now Mattioli Gioielli). Founded in 1860, the house is the oldest jeweler in Torino, Italy, and was a maker for several luxury jewelry houses including Cartier.

• Origin: Italy, 1934-40
• Condition: excellent
• Dimensions: 11/16” wide; 8-3/8” long
• Weight: 53.6 grams

A nice vintage tie bar in a bamboo pattern by Tiffany & Co. The bar is worked in 14K yellow gold, and each end features a blue sapphire cabochon collet set in platinum. The small amount of platinum contrasts nicely with the deep blue of the sapphires. The bamboo design was reworked in the 1960's and became one of Tiffany's most successful sterling silver flatware designs. Its use in jewelry, however, is uncommon. The relatively short length works perfectly with the narrow width of today's ties. The back is marked "Tiffany & Co. 14K."

Origin: America, ca. 1945. Condition: excellent. Size: 1-15/16" long. Weight: 6.1 grams. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: .34 ct.

An elegant Retro Moderne 14K yellow gold brooch in a stylized bow form, the center set with a large emerald-cut citrine of medium honey color, and the loops sprinkled with round brilliant-cut rubies. Some Retro pieces can be overly heavy, but this pin has a pleasant lightness despite its large size. The gemstones are of fine quality. Tested and guaranteed 14K gold.

Origin: America, ca. 1940. Condition: excellent, all original. Size: 3” x 1”. Weight: 15.5 grams. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: ruby, .5 carat; citrine, 10.4 carats.

A very handsome pair of 18K yellow gold cufflinks, the faces formed from faceted rhodolite garnets of unusually large size centering old European cut diamonds. The purplish-red hue of the garnets contrasts beautifully with the gold mounting and the white diamonds (G, VS2). The backs are finished with toggles. The connectors are stamped with French marks for 18K gold and with the goldsmith's mark (entered in 1913) for the Parisian jeweler Leon Favrin.

Origin: France, ca. 1940. Condition: excellent. Dimensions: faces, 1/2" diameter. Weight: 7.9 gr. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: rhodolite, 12.66 cts; diamond, .10 ct.

A delightful Retro period 14K gold charm or pendant depicting "Thursday's Child" by William Ruser. The charm is finely detailed. According to the poem, Thursday's Child has "far to go" so Ruser depicted the naked child walking along a natural freshwater pearl carrying a traveling sack of belongings. The use of freshwater pearl is a classic Ruser touch. The child's eyes are set with blue sapphires. The back is signed and is marked "14K."

Ruser, the formost Beverly Hills jewelry of his time, was a favorite of Loretta Young and Joan Crawford. He is best know for his depictions of dogs (particularly poodles) and waif-like children in various poses.

• Origin: America, ca. 1945
• Condition: excellent; all original
• Dimensions: 1-5/16" x 1-5/8" (excluding bail)
• Weight: 15.8 grams

A very fine vintage pair of double-sided cufflinks and three matching shirt studs by Tiffany & Co. The classic design features round brilliant cut sapphires surrounded by a wide, flat gold border finely incised with lines radiating outward toward the edges. The sapphires have the most desirable color (B6/6--medium dark vivid blue) and have eye-clean clarity. The stones show no indication of heat or other treatment. Each piece is marked "Tiffany & Co." and "14K".

Origin: America, ca. 1940. Condition: excellent, all original. Size: cufflinks, 19/32" diameter; studs, 3/8" diameter. Weight: 21.6 grams. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: 1.932 carats.

A fine Retro leaf brooch worked in 14K yellow gold and platinum set with diamonds and sapphires. The curved leaf is lightened by the use of wire construction, a technique often seen in French jewelry of the period. The lower edge of the wire leaf is enhanced with antique cushion and old European cut diamonds, and the upper edge with a row of blue sapphires. Two larger old European diamonds are nestled among the solid leaves to one side. The three largest diamonds range from .55 to .30 carat. All are SI1 clarity I-J color. The sapphires have bright pure blue color and eye-clean clarity. The design is versatile and the pin can be worn horizontally with the wire leaf to the left or vertically with the wire leaf at the bottom.

The use of such a range of antique diamond cuts in a piece of this era suggests that the pin was custom-made using diamonds (and possibly the gold) from one of the client's older jewels. This was a common practice during the shortages of World War II. The pinstem is stamped "14K."

• Origin: America, ca 1948
• Condition: excellent
• Dimensions: 1-23/32" x 1-1/8"
• Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: diamond, 1.66 carats; sapphire, .46 carat.
• Weight: 7.5 grams

An elegant 14K rose and yellow gold bow brooch featuring a “knot” invisibly-set calibre-cut green tourmalines. The brooch is also accented with a pair of pearls set in white gold. The tourmalines have very fine bright coloring. The golden bow is worked in both a polished surface and a micro-beaded finish. The latter is a technically difficult texture to achieve and shows the hand of a master jeweler. The back of the pin is marked “RMU” and “585” for 14K gold. The back retains the original trombone clasp.

Origin: Europe, ca. 1940. Condition: excellent, all original. Size: 2-3/8” x 1-1/4”. Weight: 11.5 grams. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: .76 carat.

A vintage 18K yellow gold heart-shaped pendant/charm, the border set with alternating cushion cut Burmese rubies and old mine cut diamonds. Like most Retro pieces, the large size has great presence. The rubies have fine, bright red color and VS clarity, and display all the characteristics of Burmese rubies. There are no indications of heat or other treatment. The diamonds are of similarly fine quality, graded as I color, SI clarity. The bail is marked “750” for 18K gold. The pendant is ideal for monogramming, but there is no evidence of any previous engraving.

NOTE: The pendant is shown with a 16" 14K gold chain available for an additional $125.

• Ca. 1940.
• Condition: excellent, all original.
• Dimensions: 1” x 1-1/8” (excluding bail).
• Weight: 6.1 grams.
• Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: ruby, .6 carat; diamond, .4 carat.

A classic pair of French 18K yellow gold cufflinks in a variation of the "mors de filet" or "snaffle" design originally created for Hermès by Gaetan de Percin. Each of the flip-up ends is pierced in a diamond-cut design. De Percin's design was very popular and served as the basis for a number of closely related designs. These cufflinks are stamped with French 18K marks, an unidentified goldsmith’s mark and the notation for "breveté", indicating that the design was patented.

Origin: France, ca. 1940. Condition: excellent, all original. Dimensions: faces, 5/8 x 11/32". Weight: 12.7 gr.

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”) in 1889. The word “plus” is symbolized by a plus sign set with a five rose cut diamonds and the word “moins” by a minus sign set with rectangular cut synthetic rubies.

In 1907, the Lyonnais jewelry Alphonse Augis created a love token based on the poem. This example is in the original style with a “crêpe de chine” textured background and floral wreath border. The use of a rose cut diamond, the A. Augis signature and the patent mark indicates that this is an earlier example. The medium-large size is perfect for either a substantial chain or to wear as a bracelet charm. The pendant is fully stamped with French 18K gold marks.

• Origin: France, 1930.
• Condition: excellent; sharp detail.
• Dimensions: 7/8” diameter (excluding bail and jump ring).
• Weight: 6.5 grams.
• Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: diamond, .05 carat; ruby, .07 carat.

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