Giacinto Melillo (1846-1915) Naples “Etruscan / Archaeological Revival” Campana bracelet in 18k gold with extremely delicate and elaborate granulation gold work, delicate applied gold wire-work and gold beading further accented with polychrome enamel details, two cabochon bead emeralds and a pearl on 7 hinged square panels and two semi-circular panels, signed: G. Melillo touch mark on top of the end screw clasp and Triunfo (triumph) in a cartouche on the back of one of the arcing panels, c.1870
Dimensions: Length: 7 and 5/8 inches x Width: 1 inch
Barrey, Paris, Art Deco “Wheat” clip brooch in 18k gold with fine details of a sheath of wheat, marked: JJB in a diamond poincon (maker’s mark of barrey, 18 rue du mail 75002, Paris), French Eagle’s head mark for 18k gold (2x), c. 1938
Seaman Schepps “Grape” cluster clip/brooch set with 9 large cabochon sapphires (approx. 85+ carats TW), 5 large cabochon emeralds (approx. 35+ carats TW) and 13 round diamonds (approx. 2 carats TW) set in a 14K yellow mounting with leaves and vines, signed Seaman Schepps and 14k, Dimensions: 2 3/4 inches long x 2 1/4 inches wide, c. 1940
***This is a closely related “Grape” cluster clip/brooch model that Seaman Schepps made on commission for the eminent socialite Doris Duke (Collection Seaman Schepps, but there is a predominance of dark blue and purple cabochon sapphires in the DD brooch as opposed to the predominance of larger and more translucent cabochon sapphires as well as cabochon emeralds in this example
Marchak Paris, “Gold Ball” earrings, 9 fluted gold balls with woven rope designed chains in 18K gold, Signed and marked: Marchak, Made in Paris, no. 230494, c. 1935
Hermes / Georges L’Enfant textured loop link necklace/ bracelet, 18K gold, signed, c. 1970’s
Hermes, Paris / Georges L’Enfant textured loop link bracelet, 18K gold, signed: Hermes (block engraved signature), no. 66897, GL in a diamond mark for Georges Lenfant, French Eagle’s head mark for 18k gold, c. 1950’s
Weight of one bracelet: 2.97 Troy ounces / 92.5 grams / 59.4 pennyweights
Hermes, Paris / Georges L’Enfant textured loop link bracelet, 18K gold, signed: Hermes (block engraved signature), no. 68083, GL in a diamond mark for Georges Lenfant, French Eagle’s head mark for 18k gold, c. 1950’s
Weight of the second bracelet: 2.90 Troy ounces / 90.1 grams / 58 pennyweights
Mappin & Webb Art Deco / Modernist diamond brooch (84 count approximately 14 carats TW), further set with fully faceted onyx and emeralds with a central square synthetic emerald all set in an elaborate platinum mount, c.1930
Gaucherand, Paris “Fringe Turban” shaped brooch set with a large emerald cut Siberian amethyst (approx. 70 carats), 6 round cut diamonds (approx. 1.50 carats TW) and 19 cabochon turquoise all set in 18k gold, signed, c.1950
Marcus & Co. Art Nouveau brooch, “Tibula” shaped 18k yellow gold brooch set with three natural pearls, the natural center button pearl approx. 10 mm in diameter (G.I.A. certificate, 3 natural freshwater pearls, weight 24.90 grams, measurement range from 5.46 to 12.26mm), 16 sugarloaf cabochon sapphires, the two large and high dome middle sapphires with a purple hue, 20 pave set round diamonds all surrounded with clear plique-a-jour further trapped with platinum flakes, signed c. 1897
Egyptian Revival “Double Ibis” highly detailed 18k gold brooch in the form of two Ibis with hanging fringe feathers set with a round cabochon emerald (approx. 5 carats) and a round cabochon ruby (approx. 6 carats), c. 1920
H. Stern, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil highly textured and sculptural tapered bracelet in 18K gold set with 7 oval gem quality amethysts (approx. 14 carats TW) Marked: 750 mark, S (H. Stern mark) in a diamond, c. 1960’s
Giacinto Melillo (attr.) Italian Ancient Revival Medallion 18K gold pendant earrings with white and black enamel and central face motifs, hanging floral details, retailed in Paris, marked, c. 1880
Cartier Paris 18K gold “Knot” bangle bracelet, signed: Cartier (script signature) Cartier touch mark, French Eagle’s head touch mark for 18K gold (2x), c. 1960’s
Udall & Ballou “Scottie” dog brooch set with 62 round cut diamonds (approx. 5 carats TW), two triangle shaped diamonds, one diamond shaped diamond, black enamel and onyx all set in platinum, c.1930
William Ruser, Beverly Hills “Lotus Blossom” ring set with three large natural Baroque pearls and a yellow diamond in the center (approx. .50 carats by calculation) in an 18k gold highly textured structural gold mount, signed: R (for Ruser), 18k, c.1960
Lacloche Freres, Paris (attr.) Tutti Frutti “Bouquet of Flowers” ring set with two Mughal carved sapphire flower/leaf shaped jewels and further set with a matching cabochon sapphire, 11 baguette diamonds, 22 round cut diamonds and two golden hued pearls all in a very intricately detailed platinum mount, c.1920’s
Imperial topaz (26 carats) solitaire ring set in platinum with two elongated baguette diamonds, signed: L and M French maker’s mark in a diamond poincon, French Dog’s head assay mark for platinum, c.1950
Charles Gordon (reg. London 1828) “Medieval Revival” signet ring, 18K gold with stylized arrow motifs on either side and bezel set with an ancient agate Intaglio carved with the head of a knight and Latin or Greek letters, signed: C.G. for Charles Gordon in a rectangular cartouche, c.1850
Van Cleef & Arpels, Paris “Elephant Hair” ring, 18k gold tied loop detail and clasp with multiple strands of elephant hair forming the ring, signed: VCA (copyright mark), 750 (gold standard mark), 72 (1972), no.125043, French Eagle’s head mark for 18k gold (2x), VCA maker’s touchmark in a diamond (2x), 1972
French Art Deco Interlocking ring, Invisibly set rectangular sapphires (10 count, approx. 2.50 carats TW), pave diamonds (approx. 2.50 carats TW) all set in a platinum mount, c. 1935
American Art Deco ring (likely by Louis C. Tiffany for Tiffany & Co.) set with a large blue zircon (approx. 64 carats by calculation, 20mm x 20mm x 19mm) set in a fancy platinum mount further set with 14 round cut diamonds, four bullet shaped gold/orange citrines and two kite shaped gold/orange citrines, marked: very deeply stamped letters as a maker’s mark on the inside of the shank, c. 1930
***Top quality gem blue zircons over 10 carats trade at a minimum price of $200 per carat and go up from there depending on the size of the stone and the quality of the color. Blue zircon, the most popular color, is produced by heat treatment of brown zircon. But not all brown zircon will turn blue when heated; only some zircon has the right physical structure for this to occur. This is why most blue zircon comes from certain sources in Cambodia or Burma. Blue zircon is a reasonably hard gem with a Mohs hardness of about 7 to 7.5. Blue zircon has some unique properties that make it very popular with gemstone aficionados. Not only does zircon have outstanding brilliance, but it also has very strong dispersion or fire, the tendency to split white light into the spectral colors. Zircon also has very pronounced birefringence or double refraction, with a wide variance between the two refractive indices. This can be often be observed with the naked eye when you look down through the table of a cut zircon; you will observe facet doubling that makes the facet edges appear blurred.
Neil Lane solitaire “Cognac” orange/brown diamond ring (1.87 carats natural color, GIA certificate) set in a double loop through design all in 18k gold with micro pave work throughout, signed, c.2006
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