Precious Star-Shaped Diamond Brooch in Gold & Silver, c. 1880

Jewellery lavishly set with diamonds is one of the hallmarks of jewellery from the last third of the 19th century—but this development did not occur for purely stylistic reasons. The discovery of large diamond deposits in South Africa also played a role here, as it was only then that the coveted gemstone became widely available. After a farm boy found the large Eureka Diamond, weighing 21.25 carats, on the banks of the Orange River in 1866, open-pit diamond mining began there. Suddenly, the display cases of jewelers in major cities sparkled with the brilliant light of countless diamonds. This star-shaped brooch dates from the era of the great diamond boom. Diamonds totaling approximately 2.45 carats in historic old-cut styles are set in silver. Each stone is unique, hand-cut, and one-of-a-kind. However, the backing on the reverse side and the brooch clasp are crafted from rose gold to prevent them from discoloring. Stars and other celestial bodies were all the rage throughout Europe in the late 19th century, and hardly any jewelry catalog or jeweler’s display of that era would have failed to feature at least one star. For example, an advertisement by the British court jeweler Benson’s in 1888 promoted a very similar star brooch in the “Illustrated London News” (see last illustration). Equally unforgettable, however, are the stars worn by the Austrian Empress Sisi—as vast as the night sky, so widespread was this fashion trend across Europe, proving that even back then, fashion and taste knew how to transcend the narrow borders of nations in the name of beauty.

Estimate:$5,499.02

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