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.

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.

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.

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.