Catalog: Estate Jewelry (1639)

A nice 14K yellow gold locket, the front cover decorated with an ornate scene of two hunting hounds sniffing through tall grass for their prey. A picket fence can be seen in the background and then a sky lightly engraved with clouds and a sun or moon represented by a star-set old mine cut diamond. The back of the locket has a nice 3-letter monogram (“MAC”) original to the period. The interior retains its original frame inserts. Tested and guaranteed 14K gold.

Origin: America, ca. 1890. Condition: excellent, sharp detail. Dimensions: 1-1/16” diameter, excluding bail. Weight: 6.5 grams. Approximate Total Diamond Weight: .05 carat.

A very fine dress set comprising a pair of double-sided cufflinks and four shirt studs. The faces are worked as star-cut frosted rock crystal discs set in platinum borders with engine-turned engraving and centering French-cut blue sapphires. The connectors and stud findings are in 14K yellow gold. The sapphires have fine, vivid coloring and excellent clarity. The connectors are stamped with Krementz's hallmark and "14K".

Origin: America, ca. 1910. Condition: excellent. Dimensions: cufflinks, 9/16" diameter; studs, 5/16" diameter. Weight: 13.6 grams. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: sapphire, .78 carat.

Excellent pair of Victorian 18K yellow gold drop earrings with Mediterranean coral beads. The earrings are quite heavy and are very well constructed with closed backs that make them attractive from behind, as well. The coral has the nice, even coloring of fine Mediterranean coral from the coast of Italy. The original earwires have been replaced with screwbacks, but because of the way the earrings are constructed, there were no alterations to the earrings themselves. They could easily be re-converted to wires. The gold has a slightly rosy color that complements the coral nicely. Tested and guaranteed 18K gold.

Origin: America, circa 1860. Condition: excellent. Size: 1-3/8” x 11/16”. Weight: 8.5 grams.

A lovely pair of 18K yellow gold dome earrings studded with bezel-set tourmaline, topaz, garnet, citrine and aquamarine. This style was popularized by H Stern in the 1950’s and was used to show off the variety of gemstones available from the company’s native Brazil. Due to its spiky appearance, the design was eventually called “Sputnik”. The style was mostly used for rings, but also for pendants, charms and earrings. Earrings are quite uncommon. The earrings retain the original post-and-clip backs, but the posts could be removed if desired. The clips are marked “MN 750”.

Origin: Brazil, ca. 1955. Condition: excellent. Size: 13/16” diameter. Weight: 7.7 grams. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: 8.36 cts.

A superb pair of French Art Deco 18K gold and tourmaline cufflinks in the Egyptian Revival taste that was spurred by the discovery Tutankhamun's tomb in 1922. Each face is simply set with a bluish-green tourmaline carved into the shape of an ancient Egyptian scarab. The faces are connected with chains to barbell backs. Each cufflink is fully stamped with French 18K gold marks and with an illegible master goldsmith mark.

Origin: France, ca. 1925. Condition: excellent. Dimensions: 16 x 18 mm (5/8 x 23/32 in). Weight: 10.2 gr. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: 30.7 cts.

A magnificent Art Deco 18K white gold ring set with a 1.49-ct Burmese ruby surrounded by round diamonds. The ruby has a pure, vivid red color and eye-clean clarity. There are no indications of heat or other treatment. The back of the mounting is enhanced with a pierced gallery and geometric engraving. The diamonds are G-H color, SI clarity. Tested and guaranteed 18K.

NOTE: We are also presenting matching earrings (Item #1306948).

Ca. 1925. Condition: excellent. Dimensions: crown, 1/2" x 1/2". Finger Size: 5-1/4. Weight: 2.7 gr. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: ruby, 1.49 cts; diamond, .54 ct.

A very attractive pair of Victorian beanback cufflinks, the oval faces set with with pyrope-almandite garnet cabochons. The gemstones have a much brighter red coloring than many garnets. The gold settings are decorated with foliate scrolled borders. The backs of the faces are marked “14K”.

Origin: America, ca. 1890. Condition: excellent. Size: 9/16” x 7/16”. Weight: 5.0 grams. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: 5.0 carats.

A rare pair of mid-century haute couture cufflinks by Pierre Cardin. Each face comprises a carved jadeite bead simply mounted on a gold post. The backs are slightly arched gold bars. The jadeite beads are carved in a floral pattern and are done so in a way that they are carved completely through from one side to another. It’s likely that the cufflinks were constructed from an antique strand of jadeite beads. The jade has noticeable mottling in natural, strongly saturated shades of dark, medium and light green. The translucency is fair. Magnification and absorption spectra show no signs of dye. The connectors are signed “Pierre Cardin†and are fully hallmarked with French 18K marks. Pierre Cardin designed a very limited line of fine jewels in the 1950s and 60s. They were sold only at the couturier’s main store and are quite difficult to find now. Origin: Paris, ca. 1960. Condition: excellent, all original, no cracks or chips. Size: 1/2†diameter. Weight: 10.4 grams.

A very rare pair of Victorian 14K yellow gold cufflinks set with boulder opal cabochons. The opals have much finer play of color than is typical of boulder opal, with a preponderance of blue and green that almost seems to glow from within. The contrast with the matte brown of the host matrix is very attractive. The opals are set collet-set in simple frames finished with ropetwist borders. The outer dimensions of the faces vary in size by 1/32", suggesting that the mountings were custom-made for stones already in the original owner's collection. One opal is a little narrower and higher, while the other is broader and flatter. When being worn, of course, the size difference is unnoticeable. The quality of the opals suggests Lightning Ridge, Australia as the most likely source.

Origin: America, ca. 1900. Condition: excellent. Size: 17/32" and 16/32". Weight: 6.4 gr.

A very nice vintage H. Stern style "Sputnik" charm or pendant worked in 18K yellow gold and collet-set with a variety of colorful gemstones including amethyst, citrine, aquamarine, pink tourmaline and green tourmaline. This design was popularized by Stern, the world's largest source of colored gemstones, to show off the range of colored stones available from Brazilian mines. The pointy design was reminiscent of the first Soviet satellite and was nicknamed "Sputnik". A variety of pieces were made in this style, but charms and pendants are among the most difficult to find. Tested and guaranteed 18K.

Origin: Brazil, ca. 1965. Condition: excellent, all original. Size: 7/8" diameter (excluding jump ring). Weight: 5.2 grams. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: 6.07 cts.

A very nice 18K yellow gold ring in the Sputnik style. The sphere is collet-set with round amethysts, citrines, pink and green tourmalines, garnets and aquamarines around a central aquamarine set at the top of the dome. This design was originally created by H. Stern in the 1950s to highlight the range of colored gemstones available from the mines of the company’s native Brazil. It later came to be known as “Sputnik” for its resemblance to the spiky Soviet satellite launched in 1957. Each ring has a unique appearance stemming from the specific combination of gemstones used. This example has particularly nice warm tones—reds, pinks and dark oranges. The ring is unsigned, but is most likely by Stern. Tested and guaranteed 18K.

Origin: Brazil, ca. 1955. Condition: excellent; one garnet toward the edge has a small flake visible with 10x magnification. Finger Size: 8. Dimensions: 15/16” diameter. Weight: 6.1 grams. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: 4.64 carats.

An incredible pair of vintage 18K yellow gold cufflinks by Tiffany & Co. The front faces of the double-sided cufflinks are pave-set in platinum with round brilliant diamonds (G color, VS1 clarity) surrounded by a border of superb small round mixed cut sapphires in a medium vivid blue color (B5/6). The sapphires have the intensity of fine Burmese material and do not appear to have any enhancements. The yellow gold borders are painstakingly handworked in a stippled pattern which is repeated on the entirety of the back faces. The faces are joined by solid connectors and the back faces are hinged. The back faces are marked “Tiffany & Co. 18K” and have inventory numbers. Cufflinks of this quality were never part of Tiffany’s catalog wares and were generally only available at the flagship store and by special order. The cufflinks are presented in their Tiffany & Co. presentation box.

Origin: America, ca. 1970. Condition: excellent, all original. Size: 3/4” x 1/2". Weight: 28.4 gr. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: diamond, 1.5 carats; sapphire, 1.2 carats.

An excellent multigem "Sputnik" ring in the style of H. Stern. Stern, the world's largest dealer in colored gemstones, created this design in the 1950's to showcase the variety of colored stones available from its Brazilian mines. This particular ring has a very brightly colored selection of stones including dark and light green tourmaline, pink tourmaline, amethyst, citrine, spessartite garnet, almandite garnet and aquamarine. The stones are collet-set above the yellow gold dome in a way that simulated the appearance of Russia's Sputnik satellite. The shank is marked "750" for 18K gold.

Origin: Brazil, ca. 1960. Condition: excellent. Finger Size: 7-3/4. Size: 1" diameter. Weight: 7.6 grams. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: tourmaline, 1.75 cts; spessartite garnet, 1.08 cts; amethyst, .91 ct; aquamarine, .70 ct; almandite garnet, .69 ct; citrine, .46 ct.

A handsome pair of modernist cufflinks worked as concave silver discs centering collet-set amber cabochons with applied beads to the setting. The amber has a beautiful honey color and an abundance of the highly-prized natural discoid inclusions called “sun spangles”. These are often created by enhancements, but the spangles in this amber are naturally occurring. The toggles are marked “830”.

Origin: Denmark, ca. 1950s. Condition: excellent, nice patina. Size: 13/16” diameter. Weight: 11.5 grams.

A nice pair of Art Deco 14K yellow gold double-sided cufflinks, the faces set with faceted disks of bloodstone. The bloodstone has nicely mottled red and blackish-green coloring attractively accented with a gold bars in the center of each face. The connectors are marked for 14K gold and bear the hallmark of Enos Richardson & Co.

Origin: America, ca. 1920. Condition: excellent, all original. Dimensions: 15/32" diameter. Weight: 6.8 grams.

A superb dress set, comprising a pair of cufflinks and three shirt studs, by Tiffany & Co. Each face is fashioned from a disc of abalone centering a old European cut diamond collet-set in platinum. The borders of the faces are worked in platinum enhanced with bright-cut engraving. The diamonds are G-H color, VS clarity. The abalone has deep luster with strong overtones of iridescent red, green and orange. Cufflinks made from abablone are much less common than those made from gray or white mother-of-pearl. The added sparkle from the engraved platinum contrasts nicely. The backs and findings are worked in 14K yellow gold, but only the platinum shows when being worn. The backs are marked “Tiffany & Co./14K” and “Plat. & Gold”.

Origin: America, ca. 1910. Condition: excellent. Size: cufflinks, 9/16” diameter; studs, 5/16” diameter. Weight: 13.3 grams. Approximate Total Diamond Weight: .32 ct.

A fine Edwardian 14K yellow gold and platinum bangle bracelet, the top set with four sets of three round brilliant sapphires separated by rows of round single-cut diamonds. The sapphires are superb quality, with medium-tone, vivid violetish blue color in sunlight and a nearly pure violet color in incandescent light. The stones are eye-clean and are perfectly matched. Color-change sapphires are rather uncommon and matched stones such as these are very rare. The diamonds have bright color and SI clarity. The sapphires and diamonds are in a millegrained platinum setting with a delicately pierced gallery along the sides. The bracelet has an unidentified maker’s mark (a pair of acorns). Tested and guaranteed 14K gold and platinum.

Origin: America, ca. 1910. Condition: excellent. Dimensions: 3/16” wide; 6-1/4” circumference. Weight: 8.1 grams. Approximate Total Gemstone Weight: diamond, .23 ct; color-change sapphire, 4.68 cts.

A very good pair of 18K yellow gold cufflinks by Alfred Dunhill. The faces resemble branches of coral. Dunhill produces the vast majority of its cufflinks in sterling silver and the 18K gold versions are very rare. The coral design, in general, is hard to find because it was made for only a short time around 2005. The cufflinks are constructed with the connector set off-center, so the link lies flat against the cuff. The toggle back is Dunhill’s classic small toggle with the company’s insignia. The connectors are fully stamped with English convention hallmarks for 18K and with the maker’s mark for Dunhill.

Origin: England, ca. 2005. Condition: excellent. Size: 1-1/4” x 3/4". Weight: 17.6 grams.