eBay brooch/pendant

[LorettaB]

Friday morning, on a whim, I bid on a pendant/brooch on eBay. I won it for $100.00. I got it in the mail today. The listing was rather vague and maybe that’s why my winning bid was so low. Like “I have no idea what the stones are...”. that kind of thing. Anyway, it is marked 14kt with a maker’s mark I can’t make out at the moment. I am 99.9% sure the stones are diamonds because there is another auction listed for the exact same brooch/pendant and the only difference is that the outside stones are rubies and not diamonds. The other brooch has a “buy it now” price of $899.00. I am shocked! I got it home and ran it through the cleaner because it was pretty cruddy, especially around the edges of the diamonds. It is my new favorite piece of jewelry. Here are some photos. I only come across a deal like this every great once-in-a-while and I am absolutely tickled over this one. I pinned it to my shirt just for size reference. It’s not small, for sure.

 

[LorettaB]

Here are the marks on the back....

 

[YadaYadaYada]

Okay first off, WOW, that is a great piece and what a score at $100! I love the little designs on the ends that look like Maltese crosses and the enamel looks to be in excellent shape. Be careful cleaning it because you don't want to damage the enamel, definitely no ultrasonic or anything abrasive.

Are the marks in the back a large K with an E and an A? Having trouble making it out. Also that amethyst pendant is beautiful you've got on. You have great taste!

 

[Bron357]

Well done you. Love seeing extra special eBay finds like this. A jeweller with a Presidum can check in like 10 seconds if they are diamonds or CZ. Woo hoo, a bargain buy. Wear and enjoy in good health.

 

[LorettaB]

Okay first off, WOW, that is a great piece and what a score at $100! I love the little designs on the ends that look like Maltese crosses and the enamel looks to be in excellent shape. Be careful cleaning it because you don't want to damage the enamel, definitely no ultrasonic or anything abrasive.

Are the marks in the back a large K with an E and an A? Having trouble making it out. Also that amethyst pendant is beautiful you've got on. You have great taste!

Thank you! I think it says “K&A” and of course I can’t find a thing online about it!!! The enamel really is in great shape and the more I see enamel pieces the more I like them. I always get a lot of compliments on that amethyst pendant. I have had it for a very long time. I just had this a methyst set because sometimes you just need a statement piece or two...I have several! I just adore the vintage look.

 

[LorettaB]

Well done you. Love seeing extra special eBay finds like this. A jeweller with a Presidum can check in like 10 seconds if they are diamonds or CZ. Woo hoo, a bargain buy. Wear and enjoy in good health.

Thank you!!! I’m getting it checked this weekend just to see what’s what. I did loupe it....would anything other than a diamond be fluorescent because all these stones glowed blue under the light.

 

[Bron357]

Thank you!!! I’m getting it checked this weekend just to see what’s what. I did loupe it....would anything other than a diamond be fluorescent because all these stones glowed blue under the light.

No, only diamonds glow blue, CZ is like an pale yuk yellow colour.
Diamonds

 

[PintoBean]

Beautiful find!

 

[LorettaB]

No, only diamonds glow blue, CZ is like an pale yuk yellow colour.
Diamonds

Ok. That’s what I thought! Three of them are strong blue and the others are more of a medium blue. Yayyy!!!! I don’t think it’s worth $899.00 but I do think I got a great deal!

 

[Bron357]

And you can buy little “brooch to pendant converters”, it slips onto the pin part so you wear it as a pendant. Or go “all out” and a jeweller can solder a little loop onto the back.

 

[LorettaB]

And you can buy little “brooch to pendant converters”, it slips onto the pin part so you wear it as a pendant. Or go “all out” and a jeweller can solder a little loop onto the back.

Those are so neat!! I did notice the brooch/pendant I have the the one still on eBay both have the pendant part soldered and looks exaxtly the same. The only difference is the stones and the maker’s mark. How old do you think it may be? On this one, I have no clue!!

 

[stracci2000]

@LorettaB, this pin is to die for!!
The black enamel is so sophisticated. I love it!
I have a cheap little diamond tester from Amazon called
Diamond Selector II. It works great, and I would highly recommend it for those of us who find these "mystery" pieces.

 

[VRBeauty]

Oh my... that brooch is just lucious! Congratulations on what looks to be a great buy!

 

[LorettaB]

@LorettaB, this pin is to die for!!
The black enamel is so sophisticated. I love it!
I have a cheap little diamond tester from Amazon called
Diamond Selector II. It works great, and I would highly recommend it for those of us who find these "mystery" pieces.

@stracci2000, I'm about to invest in one of those little gadgets for when I seen something in person before I buy it.

Oh, and just so you know, it's in my purse right now! LOL!!!!!

Loretta

 

[kgizo]

Very pretty! Love the shape and enamel details on the end. Enjoy it!

 

[LorettaB]

Thank you! I found one on Etsy this morning exactly like it.....$1,470.00!!! I'm glad I saw it because I don't use ebay a lot.

Loretta

 

[JPie]

That is an awesome find!

 

[Catmom]

Oh I love it, what a great find!!!

 

[Redwoods-hiker-girl]

Thank you! I think it says “K&A” and of course I can’t find a thing online about it!!! The enamel really is in great shape and the more I see enamel pieces the more I like them. I always get a lot of compliments on that amethyst pendant. I have had it for a very long time. I just had this amethyst set because sometimes you just need a statement piece or two...I have several! I just adore the vintage look.

Hi, LorettaB,

Chiming in on this thread very late, but ... the K&A could actually be K&E — for Kaspar & Esh. The maker's mark on your brooch closely resembles the K&E in my 1930s diamond solitaire. The E in their mark very often looks like an A because of the way the arms of the E are designed (increasing in length, top to bottom).

Kasper & Esh is still run by the same family that started the business in 1916 in New York. They were (and are) known for using high-quality diamonds in their pieces. Very nice find!

 

[LorettaB]

Hi, LorettaB,

Chiming in on this thread very late, but ... the K&A could actually be K&E — for Kaspar & Esh. The maker's mark on your brooch closely resembles the K&E in my 1930s diamond solitaire. The E in their mark very often looks like an A because of the way the arms of the E are designed (increasing in length, top to bottom).

Kasper & Esh is still run by the same family that started the business in 1916 in New York. They were (and are) known for using high-quality diamonds in their pieces. Very nice find!

THANK YOU for that information! I think you're right about it being K&E. I'm wearing it as a pendant today. It looks absolutely rich. To think, I thought when I won it on eBay that if nothing else, I could convert it to a ring and when I opened it up the first time I could see it was wayyyyy too big for a ring. It was the best $100.00 I ever spent!!

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

i love when an older thread gets a bump and i get to see something georgouse
well done Lorretta !
have you been wearing it lots ?
what a find !

 

[LorettaB]

i love when an older thread gets a bump and i get to see something georgouse
well done Lorretta !
have you been wearing it lots ?
what a find !

I wear it at least a few times a week. It is so very elegant and the diamonds are small but gorgeous. I have always said that smaller diamonds are a definite bonus to a piece of jewelry and I gravitate to older pieces because I think the diamonds are so pretty.

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

I wear it at least a few times a week. It is so very elegant and the diamonds are small but gorgeous. I have always said that smaller diamonds are a definite bonus to a piece of jewelry and I gravitate to older pieces because I think the diamonds are so pretty.

that brooch was so lucky you brought it !

the poor thing must have been languishing somewhere unloved by its original owner's family

i bet its happy now being loved by you

 

[Redwoods-hiker-girl]

THANK YOU for that information! I think you're right about it being K&E. I'm wearing it as a pendant today. It looks absolutely rich. To think, I thought when I won it on eBay that if nothing else, I could convert it to a ring and when I opened it up the first time I could see it was wayyyyy too big for a ring. It was the best $100.00 I ever spent!!

Oh, it is lovely on! Such a wonderful find!

 

[PreRaphaelite]

I don’t know why I missed this thread but Wow and it’s gorgeous! Well done you!

 

[LorettaB]

that brooch was so lucky you brought it !

the poor thing must have been languishing somewhere unloved by its original owner's family

i bet its happy now being loved by you

I have a connection with older jewelry...it speaks to me. Maybe it knows I love it because really do.

 

[LorettaB]

I don’t know why I missed this thread but Wow and it’s gorgeous! Well done you!

Thank you!!!! I have a ring that is almost the same.....I see a theme here!