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A beautifully designed and executed 18ct75% pure gold (or 750 parts pure gold and 250 parts other metals) gold brooch that was most likely made in America circa 1900-1910. It is typical of the Art NouveauA movement within the arts, particularly jewellery, evolving out of a response to mass production and the industrial revolution (1890-1915). Jewellery of this period was heavily influenced by nature and femininity, with its sweeping lines and organic motifs. period in its attention to the flowing botanical design. In the centre is a flower with a lovely rubyOne of the most valuable gemstones on earth. From the corundum family, the red variety being ruby and the blue, sapphire. With the exception of the diamond, corundum is the hardest of the gemstones on the Mohs scale scoring a 9. in the centre. The five petals are composed of shaped naturalA natural stone is called such because it has not been subjected to any treatments. baroque pearls. One hundred and fifty years ago America was the source of natural fresh water pearls. They are lustrous, uneven, with crinkled textures known as “Angel Wings” and “Dog Tooth.” American natural pearls are now found only in antiqueFrom the Latin 'antiquus', meaning 'old and long in existence', it is generally used to refer to collectible artifacts of at least 100 years of age.
jewellery. The natural Mississippi pearl’s freedom of form was well suited to the naturalistic forms of art nouveau design. They were commonly called Mississippi River pearls or sometimes Unio pearls for the Unios mussel, one of the species in which they are found. These mussels were once common in the freshwater lakes and rivers of the eastern United States.
George F. Kunz, America’s preeminent gemologist was employed by Tiffany & Co. in 1879. Kunz amassed a collection of American gems, pearls and rare mineral specimens for Tiffany’s exhibition at Paris’ 1889 Exposition. Kunz had a close working relationship with Charles Tiffany and his artistic son, Louis Comfort Tiffany. He encouraged them to use the American pearlNatural pearls are an organic gem formed inside live mollusc shells and come in all shapes and sizes. They are formed as the result of a natural irritant within the mollusc's mantle and as a defence, layers of iridescent nacre form over the top of it, creating a pearl. in the design of jewellery. Jewellery design at this time (late 1890s – 1910s) was heavily influenced by the primarily French Art Nouveau movement.
Around the flower are leaves and tendrils set with green garnets, otherwise known as demantoidA sub-variety of andradite and the moat valuable of the garnets, the colour ranges from dark green (hence sometimes miscalled "Uralian emerald") to yellowish-green (hence sometimes miscalled "olivine"). It is the most expensive and rare of garnet gemstones. It has many similarities with the diamond ("demant"), hence its name (meaning 'diamond-like'), but it ... garnets, and diamonds. Demantoid garnets had just been discovered in the Urals in Russia and not only were they expensive but they were sought after to set in various jewels in the Art Nouveau period. They are a beautiful vivid apple green colour. There is a further Mississippi pearl drop. The quality and design of this brooch is fantastic. It can also be converted to a pendant as a chain can be attached to both sides.
This piece is such great quality and a wonderful Art Nouveau design
Buying antique jewellery is both ethical and eco-friendly as harmful and destructive mining processes are not needed to make an item yours. So give yourself a pat on the back!
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