antique diamond and pearl brooch

[smiley12345]

I was recently given this antique diamond and pearl brooch.. while I can appreciate it for what it is, I will NEVER wear it. Should i just let it sit in the jewelry box? selling it is not an option..

 

[D&T]

I think it looks beautiful, however I would not let sparkly things sit in a jewelry box , so I'd say if you can give the diamonds and pearl a facelift, then do it

 

[AGSHF]

Your antique brooch is beautiful. It seems a shame to let it languish away in a jewelry box. And, similarly, it would be a shame to dismantle it and use its component gems.

After having it checked out and insured, perhaps you can wear it pinned at your collar, pinned to a lapel, or pinned to a turtleneck.

Another suggestion, perhaps it can be slightly modified into a pendant, so that it can be worn more often.

Anyway, I hope you can enjoy it!

 

[yssie]

Ohhh what a lovely piece!!


I was looking for a brooch for my wedding reception dress last month, if only I'd had a beauty like that languishing in my jewellery box it was the one and only time I can ever imagine needing or wanting an antique diamond brooch, though.

I also think it's a pity to let it sit unused, and I love the idea of a pendant - perhaps add a bail, so it could also be used as a brooch should you ever want that option?

 

[kelpie]

It's beautiful! Is it a family piece? I'd wear it pinned to a cardigan. It would be a crime to dismantle such a nice example of belle epoque style.

 

[athenaworth]

That's stunning. If it were mine, I wouldn't have the heart to change it. I wonder if you could somehow make it a hair bobble or get a thick chain and make it a necklace.

 

[sweetpea&babycorn]

it's very beautiful and unique - i wouldn't let that sit in the box either! maybe shining it and cleaning it a little will give it some life, and i like the pendant idea. i've read some magazines that suggest taking a simple beaded necklace, attaching a pin, and viola! new upgraded necklace

 

[ringthings]

Pretty. I'd clean it, and wear it all the time... on a suit, jacket, fancy clothes.

Don't change it!! It's perfect. Make it a pendent if you must, but the styling is great as is.

 

[sphenequeen]

What a lovely piece! I would keep it exactly the way it is - if you are planning to clean it, do so very gently as the patina on that piece is what makes those diamonds stand out. Pieces from that period are supposed to have that type of oxidation.

You are very lucky to own that piece and perhaps it does not suit you now, but maybe it will in the future!

 

[Burberrygirl]

What a lovely piece! I would keep it exactly the way it is - if you are planning to clean it, do so very gently as the patina on that piece is what makes those diamonds stand out. Pieces from that period are supposed to have that type of oxidation.

You are very lucky to own that piece and perhaps it does not suit you now, but maybe it will in the future!

I agree. It's gorgeous and if I were you I would probably wear it as a pendant depending on how big it is.

 

[HeartingDiamonds]

I agree with all the posters above!

Heck, I'd wear it with t-shirt and jeans (have you seen the new ones coming out with all the sparkly embellishments? Yours will be the real thing!).

Seriously though, it may not be your cup of tea now, but someday, it will !

Pieces like this dont come very often, and Im sure its got a lot of sentimental value attached to it. It could always be someone's "something old" or "something borrowed" in a family member's wedding!

I'd modify it somewhat so that you can keep wearing it as a pin and also as a choker with a black satin/velvet ribbon.

It's lovely

 

[Art Nouveau]

Smiley12345: You have a lovely genuine antique brooch. It looks like it was from the Edwardian period, so it is over a 100 years old. The pearls are probably natural and not cultured. I agree with the others that you should not take it apart. Clean it gently if you wish, but definitely do not try to polish off the patina. Do you see any loops or hooks in the back? These type of brooches were often made to be convertible to pendants. There may be one in the middle or two off to the side. If there isn't, a jeweler may be able to add one. Generally speaking, an antique piece is more valuable if it has not been altered. Even as just a brooch, there can be many ways to use it - lapel pin, scarf pin, on a dress, or jacket or sweater, on a turtle neck, etc. I like the idea of the satin ribbon. It will also be lovely if you wear it as a choker on a wide velvet ribbon. You may not like it now, but tastes change and you may like it later.

AN

 

[Skippy123]

Very beautiful and quite the treasure!

 

[smiley12345]

thanks everyone for the replies! I'm going to just put it away for now i guess.. its definitely not my style and i think its too big to wear as a pendant.. its about 3 inches tall... maybe someday my tastes will change

anyone have any idea what kind of diamonds these are? They actually sparkle nicely.. though this thing is soo dirty its hard to tell what they are... any guesses on what type of metal this is? I haven't found any markings yet..

 

[Art Nouveau]

I am just guessing, silver in front and gold in the back. Diamonds may be old mine cut.

AN

 

[Winks_Elf]

That is a stunning piece! What a lucky woman you are to receive such a gorgeous treasure!

I just went back and reread your post...I was blinded by the beauty of your piece that I missed the part where you said it's almost three inches long. It sounds like you've actually got a diamond and pearl stomacher, not a brooch. They were very popular at the turn of the century (late 1800's-early 1900's). The piece would be pinned at the cleavage, and cover a good portion of the torso. The blackened (oxidized) metal is probably 14k. Pieces like this in good condition can fetch in the upwards of $10,000. The piece I have attached to this post was listed for over $9,000 on an antique jewelry site.

I strongly suggest you have it appraised and insured, even if you don't plan on wearing it. I don't know if you are married yet or not, but it may be a piece that in the future you or one of your heirs may want to wear for a formal occasion or on a wedding gown. Too many of these pieces get dismantled and recreated into other pieces.

Just a little bit of history...stomachers first became popular in the 15th century and were designed to cover the front of the bodice.
As fashions changed, so did the shape of the bodice. When the waistline disappeared altogether in the early 1920’s, stomacher quickly sank into oblivion and were divided into smaller wearable brooches, or the stones were used for completely different pieces of jewelry.

 

[Winks_Elf]

I forgot to say the lack of metal mark may indicate it's older than what we thought. I really hope you have it appraised by someone who specializes in antique jewelry. I'd love to know the history of such a beautiful piece of jewelry!

 

[smiley12345]

Here's a picture of the back, as above poster mentions there ARE two hooks in the back, so i guess this was also worn as a pendant? correction to my above post, the piece measures 2 inches long, from top to bottom of the pearl, not 3, sorry for the typo!