Catalog: Estate Jewelry: Gold (983)

A stunning pair of Victorian 14K gold, onyx and pearl earrings fashioned as onyx leaves or teardrops with gold and pearl lily-of-the-valley appliques. The scrolled surmounts are also accented with seed pearls. The pearls have nice luster and iridescence. The earrings have a lot of movement when being worn The wires are likely a later replacement and are marked “14K.

Origin: America, ca. 1870. Condition: excellent, no chips or cracks. Dimensions: 19/32” wide x 1-3/4” long (to top of wire). Weight: 7.5 gr.

A lovely and weighty vintage 18K yellow gold oval locket, the front cover enhanced with a finely-worked net motif studded with nearly a half-carat small round brilliant cut diamonds in a résille (net) pattern. The diamonds offer a nice bit of glitter without being overwhelming. The back of the locket is stamped with the maker’s mark and English 18K hallmarks.

• Origin: England, 1974-99
• Condition: excellent, no dings or monograms
• Dimensions: 15/16” x 1-3/16” excluding bail
• Approximate Total Diamond Weight: .50 carat
• Weight: 15.1 grams.

An impressively large 18K yellow gold Venetian Etruscan fob charm or pendant in a crown shape set with large oval amethysts enhanced with smaller round amethysts. The gold surfaces are enhanced with twisted wire, rosettes and beading. The amethysts have very rich, deep violet coloring. Marked “750” for 18K.

Origin: Italy ca. 1960. Condition: excellent. Dimensions: 1-3/8” x 1-1/8” x 1-3/8” (excluding bail). Weight: 25.2 gr. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: 27.29 cts.

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 large, heavy 18K gold Venetian Etruscan fob charm set with brilliant cut amethysts and pearls. The gold surfaces are heavily decorated with applied wire-work and rosettes. The amethysts intense violet coloring and excellent clarity. The pearls display good luster with a slightly rose overtone that nicely complement the color of the amethysts. Marked “Italy 18K.”

• Origin: Italy, ca. 1955.
• Dimensions: 1-1/4” x 1-5/8” (excluding jump ring).
• Weight: 21.3 grams.
• Approximate Gemstone Weight: 16.26 carats.
• Condition: excellent; no dings; all original.

A very nice 14K yellow gold man's ring set with a rectangular carnelian plaque with canted corners. The gold surfaces are entirely covered with an hand-engraved foliate design. The gemstones in rings of this type were sometimes engraved with the owner's coat of arms, but this example has never been engraved. The stone's color and the overall impressive size of the ring make this a particularly nice example. The interior is marked 585.

Ca. 1900. Condition: excellent, sharp details. Dimensions: 3/4" wide at crown, tapering to 1/4" at the back of the shank. Finger Size: 9. Weight: 17.4 gr.

A superb Ventian Etruscan pendant or charm set with citrine, smoky quartz, green and green tourmaline, aquamarine, blue topaz, hessonite garnet, and almandine garnet. These large pendants come in many different shapes, but this is the first time we've seen one in the shape of a six-pointed star (Star of David.) The gemstones are nicely colored and all the gold surfaces are enhanced with intricate ropetwist and beaded decoration. Tested and guaranteed 18K.

• Origin: Italy, ca 1955
• Condition: excellent
• Dimensions: 1-5/16" diameter (excluding bail)
• Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: citrine, 3.0 cts; smoky quartz, 3.0 cts; tourmaline, 1.6 cts; aquamarine, .5 ct; garnet, .6 ct.
• Weight: 11.0 grams

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 large heart-shaped 18K yellow and white 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 represented by a plus sign, while “moins” is represented by a minus sign set with small synthetic rubies. Alphonse Augis began designing these love medallions in 1907, and the styles have changed over the years. This example, with its white gold heart-shaped center enhanced with an engraved starburst design, is likely from the late 1970s. Medals surrounded by a gemstone border are the most difficult to find, and this is the first we’ve seen with such generously-sized diamonds alternating with the synthetic rubies of a particularly rich color. The pendant is signed “A.A.” and is fully hallmarked with the maker’s mark and the French 18K standard.

• Origin: France, ca. 1978.
• Dimensions: 1” x 1-1/8” (excluding bail).
• Condition: excellent.
• Weight: 10.4 grams.
• Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: diamond, .50 carat; ruby, 1.67 carats.

A stunning and very heavy late Victorian 18K yellow gold fob chain and watch chain. The chain is a wonderfully complex snake-like combination of plain links intertwined with heavily chased links. The edges of the fob are decorated with a matching chased design. The fob has never been monogrammed. The clasp is marked with Continental 18K gold hallmarks.

Ca. 1910. Condition: excellent. Size: overall length, 5-3/8”; fob, 15/16” x 13/16” x 15/32”. Weight: 24.5 grams.

A lovely, medium-size Art Nouveau enameled 14K gold pin in the form of a violet. Each of the petals is beautifully decorated in shaded translucent enamels in tones of violet and yellowish-cream. The translucency and high gloss of the enamel create a tremendous sense of depth in the design. The edges of the petals are set with rows of tiny seed pearls and the flower is centered with an old European cut diamond, graded as I/J, SI2. The reverse retains its original clap and pinstem and is marked for 14K.

Origin: America, ca. 1910. Condition: excellent, all original, no enamel damage. Dimensions: 1-1/8” x 1-1/8”. Weight: 6.8 grams. Approximate Total Diamond Weight: .25 ct.

An unusually large 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 rose cut diamond 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 maintains the “crêpe de chine” textured background, but pairs it with a border of calibre cut synthetic rubies, in turn enclosed within a bright-cut gold border. The pendant is fully stamped with French 18K gold marks and with Augis’ maker’s mark.

• Origin: France, 1960.
• Condition: excellent; sharp detail.
• Dimensions: 1-1/4” diameter (excluding bail and jump ring); the size of a half-dollar.
• Weight: 9.6 grams.
• Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: diamond, .05 carat; ruby, 4.45 carats.

A spectacular example of Austro-Hungarian Renaissance Revival jewelry from the period 1876-1918, this necklace features a central pendant drop in the form of a leaping stag suspended by pearl-enhanced chains from a neckchain of sapphire- and ruby-set plaques. The necklace is enameled throughout in shades of opaque white and black, and translucent green, red and purple. The stag is decorated with realistic shaded brown and gold enamels. The stag is set with a sapphire- and ruby-encrusted saddle. The neckchain has alternating wing-shaped plaques set with rubies and decorated green and white enamels, and buckle-shaped plaques set with oval sapphires enhanced with red and white enamels. The backs of the pendant and chain are also enameled. Exposed areas of silver are lightly engraved.

• Origin: Austria-Hungary (likely Vienna), ca. 1880.
• Condition: excellent; all original; only the faintest of wear to enamels on the high points of the stag (visible under magnification).
• Dimensions: necklace length, 15-1/2"; pendant, 1-1/2" wide x 2-1/2" long (including the pearl chains).
• Weight: 29.8 grams.
• Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: sapphire, 3.03 carats; ruby, 1.58 carats.

A delightful vintage 14K yellow gold bracelet by Tiffany & Co. featuring three reverse-carved Essex crystals. The center crystal depicts a horse and rider jumping a fence and is flanked by a matching pair of crystals depicting hounds. The crystals are separated by links in the shape of horseshoes overlaid with bits. Sporting bracelets set with Essex crystals are uncommon and examples by major makers such as Tiffany are nearly impossible to find. The back is marked "Tiffany & Co./14K/Pat. Sept. 1924".

• Origin: America, 1924.
• Condition: very good overall, the crystals have minor water discoloration.
• Dimensions 7-5/8" long, 11/16" wide.
• Weight: 18.3 grams.

A classic Retro buckle ring worked in 18K yellow gold buckle ring with a platinum loop set with single-cut diamonds and the end tip set with caliber-cut rubies. Unlike in many Retro pieces, the rubies are natural. The ring has four holes that allow it to be adjusted from size 5 1/2 to 9 1/2.

Circa 1935.
• Dimensions: belt, 3/8” wide; platinum loop, 19/32” wide.
• Finger Size: adjustable from 5 1/2 to 9 1/2.
• Weight: 8.0 grams.
• Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: ruby, .25 carat; diamond, .12 carat.
• Condition: excellent; fully functional; closes securely.

An 18K gold and amethyst Venetian Etruscan charm or pendant enhanced with ropetwist and beaded decoration. The larger portions of the gold surface are worked in an engraved crosshatch pattern that is very unusual for Italian charms of the period. The decoration creates a soft sheen rather than a glittery surface. The amethysts are set with fleur-de-lis and claw prongs. The amethysts have deep purple coloring and are of very nice quality. The bail is marked "18K Italy."

• Origin: Italy, circa 1960
• Condition: excellent
• Dimensions: 7/8" x 7/8" x 1-1/2" (excluding jump ring) (23 x 23 x 40 mm)
• Weight: 15.9 grams
• Approximate Amethyst Weight: 9.6 carats

A lovely large-size enameled 14K gold Art Nouveau flower pin/pendant. The petals are finely decorated with shaded enamels in tones of periwinkle, violet, cream and dark rose. The sculptural petals surround a round brilliant-cut diamond, graded as I/J, VVS2. The back of the pin retains the original clasp, pinstem and folding bail so it can be worn as a pendant. The back is marked “14K” and also has an unidentified maker’s mark.

Origin: America, ca. 1925 Condition: excellent, no enamel damage. Dimensions: 1-1/2” x 1-1/2”. Weight: 14.9 grams. Approximate Total Diamond Weight: .25 ct.

An extraordinarily fine Art Deco gentleman's ring in the Egyptian Revival style featuring a large cabochon of the finest Afghan-quality lapis lazuli. The setting is formed as a grouping of stylized lotus plants, complete with leaves, buds and full-blown blossoms forming the collets that hold the stone. The quality of the hand-engraving is superb. Ancient Egyptian decorative elements were very popular in European and American jewelry following the opening of Tutankhamun's tomb in 1924. The gold has a bright yellow color, with hints of green that are appropriate for the vegetal nature of the design. The lapis is a seamless expanse of dark violet-blue. Solid blue lapis is far rarer and more desirable than stones with bits of gold-colored mica. At the time this ring was made, such stones could only be found in the mountains of Afghanistan. The stone is cut in an unusual high-domed rectangular shape. The interior of the shank is stamped "14K".

Origin: America, ca. 1925. Condition: excellent, sharp detail. Dimensions: 25/32" wide at crown, tapering to 1/8" at the tack. Finger Size: 8-1/4 (can be sized without damage to the design). Weight: 13.3 gr.