Catalog: Estate Jewelry: Gold (984)

Elegant signed Mikimoto brooch of 14K yellow gold with pearls. The pearls, ranging from 5 to 5.5mm are of the quality that only Mikimoto can produce. The body color is a bright white with silver overtones. The lustre is exceptional. The design is a sort of abstract flower basket design. The back is marked with Mikimoto's shell hallmark.

Origin: Japan, circa 1950s. Condition: excellent, all original. Size: 1-3/8" x 1-1/4". Weight: 7.0 grams.

A fine 18K yellow gold Venetian Etruscan fob bracelet charm or pendant set with five oval amethysts and four pearls in a crown shape. The gold surfaces are enhanced with twisted wire, rosettes and beading. The amethysts have very attractive medium violet coloring with excellent clarity. The bail is stamped with Italian 18K gold hallmarks.

• Origin: Italy, ca. 1960.
• Condition: excellent.
• Dimensions: 1-1/8" x 1" x 1-1/4" (excluding bail).
• Weight: 17.8 grams.
• Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: 14.55 carats.

A delightful vintage 14K yellow gold disc charm or pendant by Tiffany & Co. The center features a "Tree of Life" bedecked with gemstone flowers. Starting with the diamond in the center and spiraling outward in a clockwise direction, the first letters of each gemstone's name—Diamond, Emerald, Amethyst, Ruby, Emerald, Sapphire and Topaz—spell "DEAREST." The tree is enclosed in a open twist border, in turn surrounded by a broad pleated border. "Tree of Life" charms were usually set with the birthstones of children or grandchildren, so the acrostic version is quite uncommon. The back is marked "Tiffany & Co., 14K."

• Origin: America, ca 1950
• Condition: excellent
• Dimensions: 1-1/2" diameter
• Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: .64 carat
• Weight: 13.8 grams.

A pretty 10K yellow and rose gold half-hoop wedding band, the front decorated with finely engraved roses. The flower petals are worked in rose gold for added contrast and the entire design is recessed to prevent wear to the carving. The interior of the shank is marked "10K" and also has an unidentified maker's mark.

• Origin: America, ca. 1950
• Condition:excellent
• Dimensions: 7/32" wide tapering to 1/8" at the back
• Finger Size: 7-1/4
• Weight: 2.9 grams

A vintage 18K gold Sputnik ring of dramatically large proportions by H Stern. The dome is bezel-set with nineteen fine-quality round citrines, amethysts, pink and green tourmalines, peridots, aquamarines and garnets. The 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 spike Soviet satellite launched in 1957. Each piece has a unique appearance depending on the specific colors of the stones and their arrangement. This is, by far, the largest Sputnik ring we've ever encountered, rising a full 3/4" above the finger. The shank is stamped with Stern's older hallmark and is marked for 18K.

Origin: Brazil, ca. 1955. Condition: excellent. Finger Size: 8-3/4 (can easily be sized up or down). Dimensions: dome, 1-1/4" diameter. Weight: 10.2 grams. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: 12.92 carats.

A wonderful vintage 14K gold acrostic charm using the first letters of each of the gemstones ( Diamond/Emerald/Amethyst/Ruby/Emerald/Sapphire/Topaz) to spell out the secret message “Dearest”. Acrostic jewelry first appeared in the 18th century and remained popular, though somewhat uncommon, throughout the Victorian era. The gold is enhanced with bright-cut engraving a pattern like that seen on sundials. This piece was most likely intended for a charm bracelet, but it could easily be worn as a pendant. The back of the charm is engraved “3-17-59” and is marked “14K”.

• Origin: America, 959
• Dimensions: 1-5/8” corner to corner
• Weight: 7.3 grams

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 superb pair of 18K gold earrings from the Retro period. Each earring is shaped as a pair of golden flowers, the centers collet-set with old European-cut diamonds. They are also designed so that they could be worn as dress clips on either side of the neckline. The flower stems are gathered with double ribbons set with square-cut rubies. The diamonds have very nice color, probably in the G-H range, and good clarity estimated at SI2. The rubies have intense color that contrasts beautifully with the gold. The backs retain the original earclips with small hollowed out areas that can accommodate a small piece of cork, rubber or wax to cushion the clip. Tested and guaranteed 18K.

Origin: America, ca. 1940. Condition: excellent, all original. Size: 3/4" x 3/4". Weight: 10.0 grams. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: diamond, .4 carat; ruby, .22 carat.

An elegant pair of 19K yellow gold "Contas de Viana" earclips. The domes are covered with concentric circles of ropetwist appliques in the ancient Etruscan style. The clips are stamped with older Portuguese hallmarks for 19K.

Viana beads were modeled on ancient Etruscan jewels found in archaeological sites in Portugal. The circular patterns of filigree and granulation were thought to resemble the eyes of a partridge, bringing luck and protection. A Portuguese girl received her first bead from her godmother at birth. Whenever the family could afford it, another bead was added to the collection with the goal being to create a complete necklace—a circle of protection and good luck—in time for her marriage.

Origin: Portugal, ca. 1950. Condition: excellent, no dings. Dimensions: 7/8" diameter. Weight: 9.9 grams.

A very fine Retro Moderne brooch in the form of a three-leaf clover, each leaf fashioned from an heart-shaped aquamarine, and centered with a pearl. The aquamarines are simply framed in gold collet settings with halo wirework accented with beading. The stones, 1.33 carats on either side and 1.87 carats at the top, have stunning pure blue coloring without a hint of gray. The 5.5mm pearl has an ivory body color with rosé overtones, and a very nice, lustrous surface. The back of the brooch retains the original pinstem and safety clasp, and is marked “14K”.

Origin: America, ca. 1940. Condition: Excellent, all original. Size: 15/16” x 1-7/32”. Weight: 4.0 grams. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: 4.53 carats.

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.

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 beautiful and rare Retro 14K yellow and white gold floral brooch featuring carved jadeite leaves and a carved rock crystal blossom. The rock crystal has an opalescent quality that appears much like moonstone. Both the front and back surfaces are finely engraved to suggest floral textures. The jade is brightly colored and contrasts nicely with the golden stems and leaves. The back is marked “14K”. Carved gemstone floral pins are quite uncommon.

Origin: America, ca. 1940. Condition: excellent, all original. Size: 2-11/16” x 1-1/4”. Weight: 12.0 grams.

An elegant pair of Retro 18K yellow gold earrings shaped as bows. Each of the dangling ribbons suspends an old European cut diamond. The diamonds are graded J color and I1 clarity. These earrings would look just as good with jeans as they would a cocktail dress. Tested and guaranteed 18K.

• Circa 1940
• Condition: excellent
• Dimensions: 1" x 9/16"
• Weight: 7.0 grams
• Approximate Total Diamond Weight: .4 carat

A 14K gold and natural ruby Retro figural brooch worked in fashioned as a stem of cherries. The fruit are fully three-dimensional and set with round unheated natural rubies. The design is finished with a gnarly branch and a pair of gold leaves. The rubies have fine clarity and intense color, without the pinkish cast frequently seen in rubies in Retro pieces. The back retains the original pinstem and clasp marked “14K”.

• Origin: America, ca. 1940
• Condition: excellent
• Dimensions: 3-3/16” x 1-7/8”
• Approximate Total Ruby Weight: 4.2 carats
• Weight: 28.0 grams

A wonderful, generously-sized Retro period 14K yellow gold charm or pendant depicting a spaniel. The dog is finely detailed and is offset with sparkling blue sapphire eyes. Ruser, the foremost Beverly Hills jeweler of his time, was a favorite of Loretta Young and Joan Crawford. His famous line of poodle jewels were inspired by Crawford's poodles. Other breeds of dogs are exceedingly rare. The back is marked "14K" and is signed "Ruser."

• Origin: America, ca. 1945
• Condition: excellent; all original
• Dimensions: 1-1/4" wide; 1-3/4" long (excluding bail); 1/2" deep
• Weight: 19.9 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 a love poem written by Rosemonde Gérard to her husband Edmond Rostand (author of “Cyrano de Bergerac”) in 1889. The word “plus” is symbolized by a plus sign set with rose cut diamond and the word “moins” is symbolized by a minus sign set with rectangular synthetic rubies.

In 1907, the Lyonnais jeweler Alphonse Augis created a love token based on the poem. This example, signed by Augis, is the classic version with the crepe de chine textured background enclosed in a plain border. The use of a rose cut diamond and the Augis signature indicates that this is an earlier example. The size is perfect as a pendant on a delicate chain or as a charm on a bracelet. Fully marked with 18K gold marks, and Augis’ maker’s mark.

Origin: France, ca. 1940. Condition: excellent. Dimensions: 9/16” x 7/8” (from top of bail). Weight: 1.7 gr. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: diamond, .01 ct; ruby, .04 ct.

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.