Large Bar Brooch with Diamonds & Pearls in Platinum, France, c. 1915

Sparkling diamonds, white platinum and silky shimmering pearls: at first glance, the jewellery of the Belle Époque appears uniform in its splendor. But a closer look reveals fashions, trends and irrevocable changes in taste. This brooch, for example, would not have been worn in this form around 1890 - it is too airily open-worked for that, and the use of platinum would not have been in keeping with the period either. Even around 1900, it would have seemed out of place in a contemporary jeweler's range, out of time. No, with its striking size, the sweeping ends and the clear ornamentation, which already foreshadows Art Deco, the brooch corresponds to the fashion of the years shortly after 1910. French jewelers in particular made use of this form - they found inspiration in the monthly design book Le Bijou, which also published brooches of this type (see last illustration). The almost 9 cm long brooch presents five pearls in a frame of diamond-set platinum. Each pearl has its own color nuance, and the shades range from greyish to peach. A brooch like this would have been worn with evening wear, with one of those modern formal dresses in an empire silhouette as created by Paul Poiret. The piece of jewelry may have accompanied its first owner to dinner, perhaps even to the opera or a ball. The hallmarks also prove that the beautiful brooch was made in France. That is also where we discovered it.

Estimation:€2,490

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