A lady with a love for literature and shiny things discusses books & bling.
This piece is really amazing. It’s an antique (19th century) North Indian armband that’s been modified with the addition of hinges so that it can be worn as a bracelet. It is gold, embellished with enamel in a floral motif and seed pearls. It’s breathtaking.
Some detail shots:
This one’s for my mom (hi, mom!).
This bird bracelet is by Cartier and it is fabulous. I don’t always like jewelery that’s shaped like animals – it can be corny, vulgar, stupid. It can be a waste of diamonds. But not this one. The birds, which definitely look like cockatoos to me, despite what Christie’s says, are lovely. They’re delicately designed, not cartoonish, not overly stylized. This bracelet gives the impression that it just happens to be shaped like birds.
I think part of this piece’s success is due to the use of color. The birds are white diamonds with onyx beaks and and emerald eyes. The birds are accented by carved emerald leaves and sapphire and diamond flowers. It’s these details that tie it all together and make it look like a work of art, not a toy or a Lisa Frank sticker recreated in gems. Just look at them – they’re each a tiny statue.
This spectacular Cartier bird bracelet was sold as part of the Christie’s Hong Kong Jewels auction on 29 November 2010 for a very respectable $196,690. All information about and pictures of this piece are thanks to Christie’s.
Christie’s description:
AN EXCLUSIVE DIAMOND, EMERALD AND SAPPHIRE ‘PARROT’ BRACELET, BY CARTIER
Designed as a series of eight pavé-set diamond parrots with emerald eyes and onyx beaks, enhanced by carved emerald leaves and sapphire flowers with brilliant-cut diamond detail, mounted in 18k white gold, 18.0 cm long, with French assay mark for gold, in red leather Cartier case. Signed and with maker’s mark for Cartier, No. 829428. Accompanied by a certificate of authenticity from Cartier.
This cherry blossom bracelet is one of the prettiest things I have ever seen. Art Deco era Cartier, circa 1925. It’s a diamond strap bracelet with a really lovely design of gem-set cherry blossom branches and flowers.
Isn’t it marvelous? As a DC native, cherry blossoms have a special place in my heart, and I think this is a spectacularly lovely interpretation of them. I think the blossoms make a perfect contrast to the clean Art Deco lines of the bracelet’s thick rectangular plates. I actually have a tattoo that would match this quite nicely.
This picture is from Hancocks, where the cherry blossom bracelet was listed for sale, but the it is no longer on their website.
I assume it was sold to some very fortunate person. Sadly for us, the fact that it’s no longer on their website means I don’t have a whole lot of information to give you. For example, the design looks like rubies, emeralds, and onyx, but I don’t know that for sure. It’s still wonderful to admire, even if we don’t know as much information as we might like.