Earrings Made from Antique Shirt Buttons with Diamonds & Onyx, from

The passage of time has brought about one change or another to many a piece of jewellery. Rings are resized, and brooches are reworked into pendants as fashion trends shift. One transformation we see particularly often is the repurposing of antique shirt and tailcoat buttons into earrings. The reason this transformation so often involves shirt buttons is obvious. Until the early 20th century, a gentleman’s elegant attire included detachable collars that were buttoned onto shirts. Depending on one’s budget, precious buttons made of precious metals and gemstones were used on the front. Later, however, these collars—and with them, the collar buttons—became obsolete. Here, two such buttons have been transformed into a pair of earrings in our workshop. They are English buttons from the 1920s made of gold and platinum. Each is set with a slightly concave onyx disc, at the center of which a diamond with an octagonal cut sparkles. A relief-carved platinum frame borders the elements on the outside, and a long onyx tassel is mounted so that it can move freely on each earring. The contrast between the deep black of the onyx, the sparkling white of the diamond, and the bright platinum is what gives these pieces their special charm. Simple gold hooks ensure the earrings stay securely in place.

Estimate:$1,100.49

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