Catalog: Estate Jewelry: Gold (1032)

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 fine 18K multicolor gold and diamond gentleman's dress watch by Van Cleef & Arpels. The octagonal face is decorated with finely engraved alternating bands of 18K yellow and white gold in a herringbone pattern. The white gold bezel is pave-set with round brilliant-cut diamonds. The stem is topped with a bezel-set diamond and the lugs are also pave-set. The watch retains its original black silk strap, the gold buckle also set with diamonds. The diamonds are graded as G-H color, VS1 clarity. The back of the case is marked "Van Cleef & Arpels/Quartz/G2294.7/25689". The inside of the strap is tamped "Van Cleef & Arpels". The inside of the buckle is marked "V.C.A./750".

Origin: France, ca. 1970. Condition: excellent working condition; case is virtually mint; silk strap shows some wear at edges. Size: case, 1-1/4" diameter; strap, 8-3/4" long. Weight: 40.5 grams. Approximate Total Diamond Weight: 1.75 cts.

A very fine and exceedingly rare mid-17th century low-karat gold “Stuart crystal” memorial slide. Such pieces were secretly worn by loyalists to mourn the deposed and executed King Charles I in 1649. Eventually, they were used to mourn other deaths, as well as to celebrate betrothals and weddings. This is a particularly fine example, combining a crystal-encased miniature portrait of a well-nourished lady, regally dressed in a gown of red velvet with gold embroidery and ermine fur trim. A black mourning veil with a widow’s peak covers her hair. Four rose-cut crystals appear at the corners. Two of them enclose a gold wirework crown over a bed of woven hair, while the other two feature gold wirework entwined “CC” ciphers over a hair background. Slides such as this were threaded onto a wide black ribbon and worn on the wrist. They are generally oval or rectangular with rounded corners, but the addition of the four “jeweled” corners is most unusual. Since the portrait miniature depicts a woman in mourning, it is most likely that the image is of the slide’s owner herself rather than the deceased. The entwined “CC” cipher used in conjunction with the crown imagery suggests that this slide is an early piece that actually commemorated the death of King Charles rather than a later piece memorializing someone in the lady's family. To the casual observer it would have looked only like a miniature portrait with decorative corners, allowing the lady to express her secret grief without unfortunate political consequences for herself.

Origin: England, ca. 1650. Condition: excellent, vivid coloring to the portrait, no losses or water damage to the wirework or hair. Size: 1-1/8” x 1-1/16”.

A truly exceptional example of American Art Nouveau enameled gold jewelry, this pendant features a deeply three-dimensional waterlily enameled in translucent lavender. The blossom is surrounded by bright green leaves and another bud about to open. A pair of baroque freshwater pearls flank the blossom, and the whole is presented against a gold frame incorporating whiplash curves and suspending a freshwater dogtooth pearl. The pearls are of exceptional quality, with bright orient in rainbow colors. The pendant is suspended from a leaf-shape plaque. The depth of the design is amazing. The pendant can be removed from the chain and originally had a removable pinstem mechanism so it could be worn as a brooch. The mechanism is now missing, but could easily be recreated by a competent goldsmith. All in all, this is one of the very best Art Nouveau enameled pendants we’ve owned. Tested and guaranteed 14K.

Origin: America (probably Newark), ca. 1900. Condition: excellent, no enamel damage. Size: length of pendant from the top of the leaf element to the bottom of the dogtooth pearl, 2”; width of pendant element, 1-3/16”; chain length, 18”. Weight: 8.2 gr.

A very fine and heavy vintage 14K yellow gold necklace by Tiffany & Co. The timeless braided design is enhanced by the gradual tapering of width from the center toward the clasp. The flat braided construction allows the necklace to life flat against the throat. This design has been reinvented several times over the years, and this piece likely dates from the 1960s. It is not currently available, but chains of similar weight are available from Tiffany in the $5,000 range. The clasp is marked “Tiffany & Co. 14K”.

Origin: America, ca. 1960. Condition: excellent, all original. Size: 16-1/4” long; 3/8” wide at center. Weight: 31.2 gr.

A wonderful Victorian 18K gold acrostic gemstone brooch the shape of an artist's palette. The bright dabs of paint are indicated by a ruby, emerald, garnet, amethyst, ruby and diamond, the first letters of which spell out the sentiment "Regard". The gems are The design of the pin also includes paint brushes, a drafting instrument, and a hand rest, all tied together with a rag. The gold surfaces are enhanced with a softly bloomed "Russian finish" that was popular in the last decades of the 19th century. Details such as the bindings on the brushes, the lead in the drafting pencil and the pad of the hand rest are detailed in platinum. The gemstones are of fine quality, with bright color. This piece has great wit and the workmanship and detailing are superb. Tested and guaranteed 18K gold and platinum.

Acrostic jewelry first became popular in early 19th century France and remained popular for decades. Gemstones were used to spell sentiments such as "regard", names, important dates, etc. Rings are, by far, the most common pieces of acrostic jewelry. Brooches are quite uncommon.

Origin: probably America, ca. 1895. Weight: 8.8 grams. Size: 2-5/8" x 3/4".

A striking pair of 18K yellow gold earrings accented with hardstone inlay by Angela Cummings for Tiffany & Co. Each slightly domed oval earring is set with polka-dots of carnelian, mother-of-pearl and onyx. Cummings pioneered the use of the mosaic technique in modern jewelry during her early years at Tiffany. These earrings were created in the early 1970s, before Tiffany began allowing Cummings to sign her designs with her own name. The backs are marked “Tiffany & Co. 750”.

Origin: America, ca. 1972. Size: 13/16” x 15/16”. Weight: 17.2 gr.

A delightful vintage 18K yellow gold brooch in the form of a leopard by Fred of Paris. The leopard's spots a created of black enamel and his eyes are set with round emeralds flanked by round single-cut diamonds. The gemstones are of superb quality, as expected from one of the world's great jewelry houses. The brooch has a two-prong clip on the back. It bears French 18K gold hallmarks and is signed "Fred-Paris."

Origin: France, ca. 1960. Condition: excellent. Size: 2-3/8" x 1-9/16". Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: diamond, .13 ct; emerald, .04 ct. Weight: 27.8 gr.

A fun 18K yellow gold multi-gem H Stern “Sputnik” charm or pendant. Stern was the world’s leading dealer in colored gemstones and created this line of jewelry in the late 1950s to showcase the wonderful array of colored gemstones mined in Brazil, where the company was headquartered . Amethysts, aquamarines, citrines, garnets and green and pink tourmalines are collet-set above the gold sphere. The unusual design was considered very modernistic and dubbed “Sputnik” because of its perceived resemblance to the Soviet space satellite. Each piece of Sputnik jewelry has a unique appearance, depending on the choice of gemstones used. Rings were the most common pieces in the line, but pendants and earrings are quite rare. The small size of this piece makes it ideal to be worn from a charm bracelet or as a pendant from a delicate chain. Marked “750” and signed with Stern’s hallmark.

Origin: Brazil, ca. 1960. Condition: excellent. Size: 9/16” diameter. Weight: 2.1 gr. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: 1.83 cts.

A classic 14K yellow gold “Tree of Life” pin by Mikimoto. This design is an enduring classic available only from the higher-end Mikimoto boutiques. The pin is set with twelve cultured pearls, ranging in size from 4.01 to 5.18mm. The pearls are of exceptional AA quality, with cream body color and pronounced rose overtones. The luster is very bright and the surfaces are nearly blemish-free. The back is marked 14K and has Mikimoto’s oyster shell signature. At Mikimoto’s Place Vendome boutique in Paris, this pin is currently offered for approximately $1,500.

Origin: Japan. Size: 1-3/8” x 1-1/8”. Weight: 5.9 gr.

A very good Victorian 14K yellow gold stickpin in the Art Nouveau taste. The top of the pin is in the shape of a horse’s head completed with beautiful enameling. The eye is set with a small round cut ruby. The head is superimposed over a gold horseshoe studded with small old European cut diamonds. The gemstones, though small, are very good quality and provide a nice amount of sparkle. The back is marked “14K”.

Origin: America, ca. 1900. Condition: excellent, no enamel damage. Size: overall length, 2-13/32”; head, 5/8” x 5/8”. Weight: 2.5 grams.

A delightful Retro 14K yellow and rose gold lucky four-leaf clover pin by Tiffany & Co. In the typical Retro style, the gold surfaces are large and mostly unadorned except for simple veining along the middle of the clover leaves. The back retains the original “fur clip” allowing the pin to be worn without actually piercing a garment’s fabric. The back is marked “14K Tiffany & Co.”.

Origin: America, ca. 1940. Condition: excellent, all original. Size: 1-1/4” x 1-5/16”. Weight: 7.9 gr.

A beautiful, delicate Edwardian hinged bangle bracelet in 14K yellow and white gold, set with blue sapphires and pearls. The traditional double knife-edge frame is decorated on the front side with a foliate-design plaque worked in white gold. The plaque is set with an alternating row of blue sapphires and 2.95mm pearls. The sapphires are a lovely bright cornflower blue with a hint of violet (graded as vB5/4) and show no indications of heat or other treatment. They are typical of stones from Ceylon (Sri Lanka). The pearls, though small, are fine quality with ivory body color and rose overtones. The overall effect is very elegant. The clasp is stamped with a variation of the hallmark used by A. J. Hedges & Co., a leading American jeweler of the period.

Origin: America, ca. 1910. Condition: excellent. Size: 3/16” wide; 6-7/8” interior circumference. Weight: 11.2 gr. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: .73 ct.

An extremely fine 14K white gold and pearl brooch by Mikimoto. Even by Mikimoto’s standards, the pearls are particularly good quality, with cream body color and strong rose overtones. The pearls are also quite generously sized, ranging from 7.85mm to 8.35. The surfaces have only slight natural blemishes and offer superb, clear reflections. AA pearls of this size were only rarely used by Mikimoto in brooches, as they were more often set aside for use in strands. The back of the pin is signed with Mikimoto’s oyster shell hallmark and is marked “WG 14K”.

Origin: Japan, ca. 1960. Condition: excellent, all original. Size: 2-1/4” x 1-1/8”. Weight: 14.0 grams.

A beautiful 18K yellow gold locket in the Art Nouveau taste, the front cover depicting a water nymph, her streaming hair entwined with seaweed studded with small rose-cut diamonds. Her ear is adorned with an earring in the form of a coral branch. Her head appears just above delicately rippling waves that high the word “Eau” for water. This design was part of a four-part series designed by Bargas representing the four elements of earth, air, fire and water. They are sometimes seen as buttons, but very rarely worked in gold and used as a locket. Like many French lockets of the period, this example opens by swiveling sideways rather than being hinged. The interior retains its original fittings and glass cover. The back cover has the slightly matte finish typical of Art Nouveau jewels and has a period “ES” monogram. The bail is fully hallmarked with 18K gold marks and with the maker’s mark (partially obscured).

Origin: France, ca. 1900. Condition: excellent, sharp detail. Size: 1-1/8” x 1-3/8” excluding jumpring). Weight: 9.9 grams. Approximate Total Diamond Weight: .05 ct.

A magnificent and generously-sized Essex crystal set in a 14K yellow gold brooch and pendant mounting. The reverse carved crystal depicts a marshland scene with a group of ducks taking flight from a fox that has invaded their nesting ground. The scene is painted in the most delicate shades that aptly fit the fineness of the carving. The brooch is backed with mother-of-pearl that provides a distinctive luminosity to the scene. The back has a brooch clasp as well as a folding bail so it can be worn as a pendant. Tested and guaranteed 14K.

Origin: America, ca. 1920. Condition: excellent. Size: 1-11/16” diameter.

A lovely pair of 18K yellow gold earrings set with diamonds by David Yurman. This design, part of the “Cable Buckle” collection, combines Yurman’s classic cable motif with an open buckle pave-set with round brilliant diamonds, graded as G/VS2. The earrings have posts with Omega clips. The earrings hug the ear closely, so they are appropriate for either day or evening wear. The backs are signed “D. Yurman 18K”. This design is no longer being made, but the original retail price was $3,950.

Origin: America, ca. 2000. Condition: excellent. Size: 7/8” long; 1/2” wide. Weight: 15.7 grams. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: .45 ct.

A very nice 14K yellow gold 5mm cable twist bracelet with domed ends set with pearls and rubies from the “Cable Classics” collection by David Yurman. The 4.8mm pearls are beautifully accented with rows of channel-set round rubies. This design is one of the earlier pieces from the “Cable Classics” collection, and is no longer in production. The original retail price was $2,450. The open cuff is flexible and can be spread to fit nearly any wrist. The interior of the bangle is signed “D. Yurman 14K”.

Origin: America. Size: 5mm diameter. Weight: 15.7 grams. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: ruby, .51 ct.