Brooches Archives

Jewelry gift guide: under $50.

December 2, 2013

Welcome to the second edition of Diamonds in the Library’s jewelry gift guide! I’m too late for most of Hanukkah this year, but there’s no bad time of year to give the gift of bling.

Beautiful jewelry can be expensive, but it doesn’t have to be. Today we’ll be looking at pretties that cost less than $50. Pieces like this are ideal for gifts for friends, cousins, yourself, or anyone if you just prefer to keep your spending in the double digits.

While we’re saving money: there are fabulous Cyber Monday jewelry sales all over the internet today, especially at department stores like Nordstrom, Shopbop, and Last Call and many individual boutiques like Gorjana, BaubleBar, Lulu Frost, Kendra Scott and Wendy Brandes; as well as Charm and Chain and Max and Chloe, two of my fave online jewelry stores. There’s a decent chance everything in this post is on sale today.

I’ll be inching upwards in price with each new gift guide – tune in tomorrow for $50 – $100.

Chic Silhouette Pin in Sheath and in Flare ($16.99).

These two are too fabulous for words. Let’s bring back the brooch!

Topshop Pink Mixed Stone Drop Earrings ($37).

Khaleesi Bracelet ($32).

Because who doesn’t need to channel her inner Khaleesi sometimes?

Kenneth Jay Lane rhodium-plated cubic zirconia earrings ($45).

An entire row of my earring rack is occupied by flashy CZ studs of various shapes and sizes. My KJL’s aren’t this exact style, but they’re about the same size and I wear them weekly. Tip: CZ by KJL pops up on a lot of sale sites. I got my studs for $30ish on RueLaLa.

Ombre gemstone bracelets by Robin Designed, shown in ombre ruby and neon blue apetite ($20-$30).

This Etsy seller makes delicate, barely-there jewelry using tiny gemstone beads and delicate metal links.

BaubleBar Mademoiselle Necklace ($42).

There are a lot of chunky necklaces like this floating around right now, but I think this one – with its mixed metal tones and dynamic shape – is especially good. It also comes in several colors.

‘Chelsea’ Small Personalized Monogram Stud Earrings ($48).

I just love these as a cute, casual monogram. I think the tiger’s eye color (pictured) is fabulous.

BaubleBar Teavaro Bib necklace ($36).

This is just so cool. The colors!

Antique Art Deco sterling silver and pink glass ring, circa 1910s ($48).

If you’d like more gift ideas, please check out my past store profiles, my guide to camphor glass jewelry, and past Ebay and Etsy posts. As always when shopping online, please pay attention to shipping charges, read return policies, and make sure that any bling you buy is the right size. My jewelry sizing cheat sheet can help.

Antique diamond and pearl bow brooches.

November 25, 2013

I like brooches as much as the next lady, but I don’t really wear them. I think that’s why I often pass them over for blog posts. This will not do, as there are many pretty brooches that deserve to be shared. I am going to redouble my efforts not to ignore them. We will start with bows.

Antique diamond and pearl bow brooch, circa 1905. Made of gold and is set with one old European-cut diamond (.50 ct.), 42 old European-cut diamonds (1.25 cts.), and 2 pearls. Via Diamonds in the Library.

This little lovely is Belle Époque, from 1905. It’s made of gold and is set with one old European-cut diamond(.50 ct.), 42 old European-cut diamonds (1.25 cts.), and 2 pearls. It’s a little hard to see from the picture, but the tails of the diamond “ribbon” are both hinged, so the brooch’s ends and their pearl drops would sway as the lucky lady wearing this brooch went about her daily business.

Antique Victorian diamond and pearl bow brooch, circa 1890. Rhodium-plated silver and gold studded with 99 old-mine & rose-cut diamonds, totaling approximately 2.50 carats. Via Diamonds in the Library.

Bow brooch #2 is late Victorian, made in 1890. This rhodium-plated silver and gold brooch is really interesting in the extent of its asymmetry. It is studded with 99 old-mine & rose-cut diamonds, totaling approximately 2.50 carats. The center and one tail of the ribbon are also set with button pearls.

This bow brooch is a bit more ornate with a more abstract bow. It is another Belle Epoque brooch; it was made in 1910. It is topped by a delicate, diamond-set bow supporting a diamond-set garland swag, centering one drop-shaped iridescent yellowish brown/black button pearl and suspends another pearl, an oval iridescent yellowish brown/black pearl.

Antique Belle Epoque diamond and pearl bow brooch, circa 1910.

This brooch is the only big-name piece in the bunch: it’s Tiffany and Co, circa 1905. It’s designed as a stylized, looped diamond-set bow, centering one old European-cut diamond (approx .40 ct.), suspending two lines of 7 flexibly set diamonds, tipped by one pinkish-brown pearl and one creamy pearl. The pearls are both capped by rose-cut diamonds, bringing the brooch’s total diamond count to 52 old European-cut diamonds, weighing approximately 2.90 cts.

I know it’s a tough call, but I have to ask: which bow brooch is your favorite?

These antique bow brooches were listed in Doyle New York’s October 2012 Important Estate Jewelry sale. All images and info are thanks to Doyle New York.

Three exquisite Jean Schlumberger brooches.

November 14, 2013

Today, we’re going to take a look at some fabulous Jean Schlumberger brooches. Two are animals, one is a vegetable. I’m sure you’re excited already.

It’s hard to imagine ever waking up in the morning and thinking, “Today requires a camel brooch!” but maybe if I had a camel brooch like this one I’d be familiar with the feeling. I especially enjoy how the good folks at Bonhams posed it marching through a dark desert strewn with other jewelry.

The gold camel is wearing a cultured pearl headdress (fancy!), has a vivid blue pailloné enamel hump, and is further adorned with circular-cut diamonds and one oval-cut pink sapphire.

In this image, you can really see the texture of the gold. I’m almost expecting the camel to turn his head and shake the reins, or for its fur to blow in the wind. It’s more of a tiny statue than anything else. I admire it greatly, but I’m still having a hard time imagining how anyone would wear it. On the lapel of a blazer or collar of a coat, perhaps? What do you think?

Here’s the eggplant, since I’m sure you’re excited to see the vegetable brooch. The “eggplant” itself is made of bright green pailloné enamel and is adorned at the bottom with a ruby cabochon. The eggplant is striped with gold and is suspended from a very pretty brilliant-cut diamond spray of leaves and flowers. Look how precise the angle of each of those flower petals are.

I have to say: as visually appealing as this is, I don’t think it looks overly much like an eggplant. Shouldn’t it be purple? Maybe it’s not ripe. I’ve only ever seen eggplants in a grocery store or on my plate.

Last but not least of today’s Jean Schlumberger brooches: the gazelle. The pavé-set diamond head features haunting, cabochon sapphire eyes and supports two delicately twisting gold antlers and textured ears. The gazelle carefully holds a gold and pear-shaped emerald branch of leaves in its mouth.

I really, really like this one. It feels so deliberate, from the tilt of the gazelle’s antlers to the curl of the green leaves. Which brooch was your favorite?

These Jean Schlumberger brooches were all listed in an October 2013 Bonhams auction. Please see individual descriptions for links to listings. All images and info are thanks to Bonhams.

< Newer
1
…
9
10
11
12
13
…
23
Older >

Follow along with me on Instagram