Catalog: Estate Jewelry (1605)

A handsome pair of 18K yellow and white gold stirrup cufflinks by Cartier. The design is similar to the "Trinity" design, but features just two rings with a wavy profile. This is the first time we've seen this particular pattern. The cufflinks are hinged at the back and snap shut at the top of the arch. Each cufflink is fully marked with serial numbers, the master goldsmith's mark and "Cartier Paris."

Origin: France, ca. 1950. Condition: excellent. Dimensions: 7/8" diameter; 1/4" wide. Weight: 17.9 grams.

An elegant 18K yellow gold bracelet in a modified curb link design, with alternating links set with round diamonds. Despite its substantial weight, the openness of the oval links creates a delicate appearance appropriate for daily casual wear. The added sparkle of the diamonds allows the bracelet to be worn for dressier occasions, too. The bracelet is signed “Cartier” and has the serial number “Paris 68219”.

Origin: France, ca. 1980. Condition: excellent. Size: 8-1/5” long; 5/16” wide. Weight: 19.5 grams. Approximate Total Diamond Weight: .80 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.

An exceptional pair of Art Deco platinum, emerald, diamond and onyx cufflinks by Cartier. Each face is made from a melon-carved emerald bead dating to India's Mughal Empire (17th/18th centuries), topped with a round onyx disk centered with an old European cut diamond. The emeralds, variously weighing approximately 5.94, 5.49, 4.53 and 4.20 carats, totalling just over 20 carats. The emeralds have a strong green color with natural inclusions characteristic of the Chivor mines in Colombia. The diamonds are graded as F color, VVS clarity. The faces are joined with removable dog clip connectors. The fixed mountings are marked with the workshop master's mark used in the 1920s and French platinum marks and are signed “Cartier.” The cufflinks are presented in their original fitted, silk- and velvet-lined, fitted leather case.

Jacques Cartier was one of the first European jewelers to travel to India and to acquire antique emerald, ruby and sapphire beads from the maharajahs. These stones were re-set in Cartier's Paris workrooms. One of the most important commissions using carved Mughal beads was a brooch for Marjorie Merriweather Post. That brooch features emeralds carved in the same shape as those in these cufflinks.

• Origin: France, ca. 1920
• Condition: excellent, all original
• Dimensions: faces, approximately 7/16" diameter
• Condition: excellent; emeralds have surface wear consistent with 300-400 years of use as jewelry
• Weight: 8.4 grams
• Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: diamond, .24 carat; emerald, 20.16 carats

A stunning 18K white gold and blue sapphire ring from the "Paris Nouvelle Vague" collection launched by Cartier in 1999. The collection was inspired by the dynamism of the City of Paris. The ring is designed as an unending double spiral of white gold with one loop extended into an oval. The band crosses over at the top and is set with a row of eleven vivid pure blue round brilliant-cut sapphires. The interior of the shank is signed "Cartier" and is marked "750" for 18K gold and "55" for the size. It is also marked with the serial number 34958B" and with "tete d'aigle" marks for 18K gold. The ring is presented in its original red leather and suede fitted box imprinted Cartier and includes the original matching outer box. This ring is no longer available at Cartier.

Origin: France, ca. 1999. Condition: excellent. Finger Size: 7-1/2 to 8. Dimensions: width varies from 3/16" to 3/8". Weight: 15.3 grams. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: sapphire, 1.06 carats.

A vintage 18K yellow gold turtle brooch set with rubies by Cartier. The turtle’s shell is formed as interwoven wide ribbons of textured gold, the intersections prong-set with round brilliant-cut rubies. The eyes are also set with small rubies. Parts of the gold have a Florentine finish while others are smooth, creating very pleasing contrast. The rubies are of very fine quality, with strongly saturated color and eye-clean clarity. The reverse side of the pin is worked in a trellis pattern. The back is marked with “Cartier 18K” and has a serial number. The pin could easily be converted to a pendant by adding a bail under the head.

• France, circa 1965
• Excellent condition
• 1-7/16 x 1"
• 15.2 grams
• Ruby, .44 carat

An interesting pair of cufflinks carved from pieces of coral and shaped as koi. Each fish has the distinctive ruffled tail fins that are typical of the species. The fronts are joined with silvered chains to the backs which are simple pieces of coral branch. The color is very nice and is completely natural.

Origin: Southeast Asia, ca. 2000. Condition: excellent. Size: 7/8” x 1/2”.

A nice man's ring featuring a large cat’s eye quartz cabochon. The stone has pronounced chatoyancy (the cat’s eye effect) with excellent color contrast. The interior of the shank is stamped “10K.”

• Origin: America, ca. 1960.
• Dimensions: cabochon, 13.7 x 11.4 mm; 5/8” wide at crown, tapering to 1/8” at the back of the shank.
• Finger Size: 12-1/4.
• Approximate Gemstone Weight: 7.4 carats.

A beautiful 18K white gold start pendant set with diamonds and sapphires from Chanel’s haute joaillerie “Comete” collection. Coco Chanel’s first jewelry designs were based on celestial themes and when the house re-entered the luxury jewelry business they reinvented many of her early designs. This star pendant features four round brilliant diamonds and three blue sapphires in different fancy cuts—square, marquise and pear. The diamonds are G color with VS1 clarity. The sapphires are B5/5 color and eye-clean clarity. The different shapes and apparently random arrangement of the gemstones was intended to mimic the placement of stars in the galaxies. The back of the pendant is signed “Chanel”, has the serial number “7E1232” and has appropriate 18K gold hallmarks. The chain clasp is also signed and marked. The original retail price of this pendant was $5,100.

Origin: France, ca. 2000. Condition: excellent. Size: pendant, 5/8” x 3/4"; chain, 16” long. Weight: 9.0 grams. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: diamond, .25 ct; sapphire, .25 ct.

A stunning pair of 18K yellow gold earrings in a waterfall or cascade motif by Chaumet. Each earring is composed of five strands of bezel-set gemstones of varying lengths. They are designed so three of the strands appear to descend from the front of the earlobe and two strands from the back. Each of the gemstones is fully articulated so the strands swing freely when being worn. The cascade design is a more modern interpretation of a classic Art Deco style. As would be expected of an haute joaillerie piece by Chaumet, the gemstones are of superb quality. The diamonds are graded as G-H color and VVS2 clarity. The emeralds are graded as medium vivid green (G 5/6); the rubies as medium-dark strong slightly purplish-red (slpR 6/5); and the sapphires as medium-dark strong violetish-Blue (vB 6/6). All the colored stones have eye-clean clarity. In other words, the colored stones are of very fine quality, with intensely bright colors and excellent clarity. The clip backs have a spring-loaded tension mechanism that holds the earrings securely but comfortably. The earrings are fully marked with French 18K hallmarks and are signed “Chaumet Paris.” More importantly, they also bear the master goldsmith’s mark for Chaumet, indicating the earrings were made by Chaumet’s in-house workshops.

Origin: France, ca. 1990. Condition: 1-9/16 in. long; 13/16 in. wide. Weight: 30.8 gr. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: diamond, 3.2 cts; sapphire, 2.32 cts; ruby, 1.80 cts; emerald, 1.58 cts.

A very nice pair of 18K yellow gold baton cufflinks, the batons worked with engraved reeding and each bound in a diagonal slash of gold with a hand-stippled surface. The baton faces are hinged so they can lie tightly against the cuff. The connectors are marked “18K Cherny”.

Origin: America, ca. 1960. Condition: excellent. Size: faces, 7/8” long. Weight: 10.6 gr.

A lovely Chinese carved green jade pendant in the form of a melon with a crane, leaf and integral bail ring. The jade has good translucency, light mottling, and nicely saturated color.

The crane, appearing along the upper left side of the melon's front, frequently represents longevity; the coins prosperity; and the melon itself has a number of meanings including fertility and plenty.

The pendant was originally one of several carvings incorporated into a very good 1920s Chinese necklace. Material of that age pre-dates polymer treatments and gemological testing reveals no indication of color enhancement, thus the jade is Type A.

Origin: China, ca. 1915. Condition: very good, no cracks, a 1/8" loss along the bottom edge of the tendril below the crane (could be repolished). Dimensions: 3/4" x 1-1/2".

NOTE: Other items created from the same antique necklace include Items #1350553, #1350538, and #1350547.

A chunky French tank bracelet worked in rose and yellow gold. The 1937 World’s Fair gave rise to a fashion for “tank jewelry,” so called for its perceived resemblance to the treads of armored tanks. This bracelet features angular ridges alternating with rounded elements that creates a woven visual effect. The angular segments are reeded, and the center reed of each is stippled for textural interest and is worked in bright yellow gold to contrast with the rose tint of the rest of the bracelet. The tongue of the clasp is marked with French 18K marks and an unidentified master goldsmith’s mark.

• Origin: France, ca 1940
• Dimensions: 13/16” x 7-1/2”
• Weight: 56.0 grams
• Condition: excellent, no dings

A handsome pair of 18K yellow and white gold cufflinks set with diamonds and sapphires fromthe Coera Collection by Lunia. The rectangular faces are divided assymetrically into a matte-finished hammered yellow gold section studded with calibre cut sapphires, and a white gold section pave-set with round diamonds. The gemstones are of fine quality (sapphires medium-dark blue and diamonds I/VS1). The faces are connected by chains to baton backs finished in the matte hammered style. The backs of the faces are marked "18K" and are signed Coera.

• Origin: America, ca. 2000
• Condition: excellent
• Dimensions: 1/2" x 3/4"
• Weight: 12.0 grams
• Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: diamond, .6 carat; sapphire, .5 carat

A very attractive and intensely-colored 18K yellow and white gold ring set with diamonds, rubies and a sapphire. The center stone, an oval mixed-cut blue sapphire, has outstanding, vividly saturated pure blue color and eye-clean clarity. The rubies are of similarly high quality. The two round brilliant-cut diamonds have H color and VS2 and SI1 clarity. The shank has a squared profile and two sizing beads, which can accommodate a range of finger sizes. The style of the ring would be appropriate for either a woman or man. The interior of the shank is marked “750” for 18K.

Origin: Continental Europe, ca. 2000. Condition: excellent. Dimensions: crown 3/8” x 3/4". Finger Size: using a mandrel, the ring measures a 6-1/2, but it fits my 8 finger perfectly; polishing out the sizing beads would increase the size a bit more. Weight: 11.1 gr. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: diamond, .39 ct; ruby, .30 ct; sapphire, .29 ct.

A fascinating pair of double-sided Continental silver cufflinks, each face featuring the image of Medusa. The faces are intended to suggest ancient coins, but the stylized lines are very much in the Cubist style. Though her appearance was capable of turning a man to stone, Medusa's image was often used to ward off evil spirits. The backs are stamped with French import marks.

Origin: Europe, ca. 1915. Condition: excellent, sharp detail. Dimensions: larger faces, 7/8" diameter. Weight: 16.6 grams.

An iconic "Lentils" necklace crafted in hematite by Angela Cummings for Tiffany & Co. Cummings began designing with lentil-shaped beads in late 1980 and it became one of her hallmarks. This hematite necklace is punctuated with a single platinum lentil pave-set with round brilliant diamonds (G/VS1). The brilliance of the diamonds is particularly nice against the dark color of the hematite. The clasp is signed "Cummings", "T&Co." and "IridPlat".

Origin: America, ca. 1985. Condition: excellent. Dimensions: 15-3/4" long; beads, 7/16" diameter. Total Diamond Weight: .70 ct.

A very handsome pair of Art Deco 14K yellow gold double-sided cufflinks, the faces set with garnets. The design is completely reversible so the cufflinks can be worn with either the rectangular plaques or the navette cabochons facing forward. The connectors are stamps that were used in Prague before 1921. There is also an unidentified maker's mark.

Origin: Czech Republic, ca. 1920. Condition: excellent, all original. Dimensions: plaques, 5/8"x 3/8"; navettes, 3/4" x 1/4". Weight: 11.0 gr. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: 28.1 cts.