Antique Art Nouveau Enamelled Sapphire and Diamond Set Brooch, 18ct Gold

As the vernal tulip of this 18ct yellow gold Art Nouveau brooch from 1890 whirls sprightly around the horizontal bar with widening diamond-encrusted ends, so glimmers its cabochon cut sapphire bud whimsically together with the green and pink translucent enamelled linear leaf. It's almost as if the two tulip petals sprouting from an old European cut diamond reach out to be plucked by you.

Antique jewellery object group: bar brooch

Condition: excellent condition

Country of origin: Although it does not carry any legible control marks we believe this to be of Belgian origin.

Style: Art Nouveau - Art Nouveau (French for New Style) is an international movement and style of art, architecture and applied art - especially the decorative arts - that peaked in popularity at the turn of the 20th century (1890–1905).

The name "Art Nouveau" is French for "new art". It is also known as Jugendstil, German for "youth style", named after the magazine Jugend, which promoted it, and in Italy, Stile Liberty from the department store in London, Liberty & Co., which popularised the style, and in Holland as “Sla-olie-stijl”, Dutch for “salad oil style” after an advertisement poster for this product that was made in that style.

A reaction to academic art of the 19th century, it is characterized by organic, especially floral and other plant-inspired motifs, as well as highly stylized, flowing curvilinear forms. Art Nouveau is an approach to design according to which artists should work on everything from architecture to furniture, making art part of everyday life. Although Art Nouveau fell out of favour with the arrival of 20th-century modernist styles, it is seen today as an important bridge between the historicism of neoclassicism and modernism.

Style specifics: Art Nouveau - Although Art Nouveau took on distinctly localised tendencies as its geographic spread increase some general characteristics are indicative of the form. A description published in Pan magazine of Hermann Obrist's wall-hanging Cyclamen(1894) described it as "sudden violent curves generated by the crack of a whip", which became well known during the early spread of Art Nouveau.

Subsequently, not only did the work itself become better known as The Whiplash, but the term "whiplash" is frequently applied to the characteristic curves employed by Art Nouveau artists. Such decorative "whiplash" motifs, formed by dynamic, undulating, and flowing lines in a syncopated rhythm, are found throughout the architecture, painting, sculpture, and other forms of Art Nouveau design. (from: Wikipedia)

Period: ca. 1890

Source of inspiration: Mother Nature

Material: 18ct yellow gold

Technique: Enamelling is an old and widely-adopted technology. The ancient Egyptians applied enamels to pottery and stone objects. The ancient Greeks, Celts, Russians, and Chinese also used enamelling processes on metal objects. Enamel is the colourful result of fusing powdered glass to a substrate by firing, usually between 750 and 850 degrees Celsius. The powder melts and flows and hardens to a smooth, durable vitreous coating on metal, glass or ceramic. According to some sources, the word enamel comes from the High German word smelzan (to smelt) via the Old French esmail. Used as a noun, "an enamel" is a usually small decorative object, coated with enamel coatings, such as a champlevé or a cloisonné (different techniques).

Diamonds: One old European cut diamond with an estimated weight of approx. 0.03 crt.and four rose cut diamonds. We do not have the weight of the diamonds which is normal in our trade when it comes to rose cuts.
Note: All diamond weights, color grades and clarity are approximate since the stones were not removed from their mounts to preserve the integrity of the setting.

Total diamond weight: approx. 0.03 crt. (without the rose cut diamonds)

Precious stones: One cabochon sapphire.

Birthstones: Diamond is the birthstone (or month stone) for April and sapphire for September.

Hallmarks: "750" indicating 18ct gold

Dimensions: width 5,00 cm (1,97 inch)

Weight: 7,10 gram (4,57 dwt)