The brooch thread

[Bluegemz]

Calling all colored stone brooches/pins! This is a thread for brooch appreciation. These somewhat forgotten jewelry pieces are often the most versatile, well designed pieces. As Coco Chanel once said, if you only buy one piece of jewelry, get a brooch! She wore them on hats, lapels, coats, in hair, on belts, pinned onto necklaces and bracelets , etc. Imagine the possibilities!

 

[Lisa Loves Shiny]

So true Bluegemz. I am kind of obsessed with antique brooches with colored stones and diamonds. So far I have only one but I love to wear it on a simple black silk necklace. I bought a leather bracelet to pin it on but have yet to wear it that way. I would love to acquire more but I am now on a ban.

 

[Bluegemz]

So true Bluegemz. I am kind of obsessed with antique brooches with colored stones and diamonds. So far I have only one but I love to wear it on a simple black silk necklace. I bought a leather bracelet to pin it on but have yet to wear it that way. I would love to acquire more but I am now on a ban.

LisaRN, please do show it if you don't mind? I'd love to see it. Like you, I have only a few being new to collecting them, but I love them and can imagine this turning into a wonderful obsession! Sigh...really I am on a ban for a while too lol!

 

[Lisa Loves Shiny]

I have posted this before so sorry for the repetition.

 

[Bluegemz]

I have posted this before so sorry for the repetition.
LisaRN, thank you for reposting it so we can have it here! It is such a romantic piece.

 

[Bluegemz]

LisaRN, thank you for reposting it so we can see it here! It's such a unique, gorgeous piece. Truly of a kind.

 

[elle_71125]

I have posted this before so sorry for the repetition.

Love this!

 

[Lisa Loves Shiny]

For those that are interested- here is a similar brooch on Ebay from the UK. It is 15 carat gold. I look for 15k (from US sellers) because I find these are usually from the UK and are antique and not reproductions. Here is the inside of my brooch that I posted before. Sorry for those who have seen it already.


Here is the link to a similar brooch and the seller is accepting offers. Scrap value is around $100. This is one of the rare ones that IMHO is not overpriced.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Antique-Vic...065898?hash=item44071c37aa:g:Gs8AAOSwc-tY6jtm

 

[Bluegemz]

Oh that is a find, LisaRN! Maybe we can link up inspiration pics as well as deals we find on this thread. I love the older, antique brooches because one will never find the same again. In a mass produced world, this is becoming so rare. Inside your brooch, I can see that each letter was hand sawed out of sheet gold and soldered on!

 

[Lisa Loves Shiny]

Oh that is a find, LisaRN! Maybe we can link up inspiration pics as well as deals we find on this thread. I love the older, antique brooches because one will never find the same again. In a mass produced world, this is becoming so rare. Inside your brooch, I can see that each letter was hand sawed out of sheet gold and soldered on!

Thank your for that information Bluegemz. I had no idea that is how the letters were created! I love learning new things from more knowledgeable PS members!

I love the idea of posting inspiration pics and deals.

 

[Bluegemz]

Thank your for that information Bluegemz. I had no idea that is how the letters were created! I love learning new things from more knowledgeable PS members!

I love the idea of posting inspiration pics and deals.

It could have been cast, but It really looks like they were sawed.

 

[Arkteia]

It is wonderful, and what a good idea to use it as a bracelet!

 

[pregcurious]

I agree, what a great bracelet.

 

[stracci2000]

Here is my Wedgwood brooch.
The stamp on the back indicates that it was made in 1881.

 

[stracci2000]

This is a rose gold brooch from the
1930s-40s that I found at an estate sale.
The stone is probably glass.

 

[Bluegemz]

Those are lovely, Stracci! Thanks for showing them. That bow is so fun and I imagine it looks great with everything.

 

[Arkteia]

And it can be easily changed for a real one of need be. I also bought a couple of items with synthetics and glass to be changed for real stones.

This one, probably, has amethyst in it. it is slightly better IRL, my camera does not pick red well. However, it does not matter as the plan is to change it for real chromium diopside.

 

[Catmom]

Yay, a brooch thread!!!!! I love all the ones shown so far.

I have become a convert and love to wear them. I have branched out from my vintage rhinestone collection to the real deal these days. I only have a few but seem to have a nature theme going or as my hubby like to call it..."the bug obsession."

My first "real" one is a white and yellow gold dragonfly. It has an opal body, tsavorite eyes and a ruby cab nose. I love how the wings are brushed white gold under the yellow gold veining.

 

[Bluegemz]

Yay, a brooch thread!!!!! I love all the ones shown so far.

I have become a convert and love to wear them. I have branched out from my vintage rhinestone collection to the real deal these days. I only have a few but seem to have a nature theme going or as my hubby like to call it..."the bug obsession."

My first "real" one is a white and yellow gold dragonfly. It has an opal body, tsavorite eyes and a ruby cab nose. I love how the wings are brushed white gold under the yellow gold veining.

That is GORGEOUS Catmom! Love love it! Dragon flies are truly enchanted. I love bug brooches as well, but haven't collected any yet. I imagine that each one has its own personality! Thank you for showing it.

 

[Bluegemz]

And it can be easily changed for a real one of need be. I also bought a couple of items with synthetics and glass to be changed for real stones.

This one, probably, has amethyst in it. it is slightly better IRL, my camera does not pick red well. However, it does not matter as the plan is to change it for real chromium diopside.

Arkteia, what an unusual brooch! Will be beautiful with chrome diopside!

 

[stracci2000]

In the past I have lost a few vintage costume pins from my coats.
To have more security, I put a little rubber earring back on the pin part just before latching it.
If the fastener opens up, your pin won't fall off.

 

[Bluegemz]

In the past I have lost a few vintage costume pins from my coats.
To have more security, I put a little rubber earring back on the pin part just before latching it.
If the fastener opens up, your pin won't fall off.

Hey, that's a great idea Stracci!

 

[Catmom]

That is GORGEOUS Catmom! Love love it! Dragon flies are truly enchanted. I love bug brooches as well, but haven't collected any yet. I imagine that each one has its own personality! Thank you for showing it.

Thanks Bluegemz! They do have their own personalities.

The next two followed my hubby home from Japan. He mentioned to a client that he was on the lookout for a pin/brooch for me. His client showed him to a place where he bought me a beautiful Limoges cobalt porcelain and gold rose brooch. When hubby was leaving to go home his client gave him a gift to give me and it was this gorgeous gold and black enamel etched bamboo brooch.

 

[Catmom]

In the past I have lost a few vintage costume pins from my coats.
To have more security, I put a little rubber earring back on the pin part just before latching it.
If the fastener opens up, your pin won't fall off.

That is a great idea!

 

[Catmom]

And it can be easily changed for a real one of need be. I also bought a couple of items with synthetics and glass to be changed for real stones.

This one, probably, has amethyst in it. it is slightly better IRL, my camera does not pick red well. However, it does not matter as the plan is to change it for real chromium diopside.

I like it with the amethyst but it will look gorgeous with chromium diopsode as well.

 

[Catmom]

Here is my Wedgwood brooch.
The stamp on the back indicates that it was made in 1881.

I love this one, color...everything! My mother had a large cameo collection that was to die for but unfortunately some family members got to it after she died and it disappeared.

 

[Bluegemz]

Thanks Bluegemz! They do have their own personalities.

The next two followed my hubby home from Japan. He mentioned to a client that he was on the lookout for a pin/brooch for me. His client showed him to a place where he bought me a beautiful Limoges cobalt porcelain and gold rose brooch. When hubby was leaving to go home his client gave him a gift to give me and it was this gorgeous gold and black enamel etched bamboo brooch.

That is a wonderful brooch and an equally wonderful story to go with it Catmom!

 

[Bluegemz]

I love this one, color...everything! My mother had a large cameo collection that was to die for but unfortunately some family members got to it after she died and it disappeared.

That must have been so aggravating. It's amazing how family members can do this sort of thing. It's happened in my family too with lovely heirloom furniture and art. Some members have long running resentments because of the greediness of others. I'm a little worried about how things will go when my parents go through that. There are some people who are just very ungenerous at heart.

 

[Catmom]

My hubby surprised me with my next one for Christmas. I saw it in my jeweler's store and immediately fell in love. Another dragonfly, lol. It's yellow and white gold with yellow, white and cognac diamonds. This by far is my favorite as you can tell by my avatar.

 

[Bluegemz]

My hubby surprised me with my next one for Christmas. I saw it in my jeweler's store and immediately fell in love. Another dragonfly, lol. It's yellow and white gold with yellow, white and cognac diamonds. This by far is my favorite as you can tell by my avatar.

So sparkly, like a magic fairy dragonfly.