Wonder from Down Under

Antique Australian Opal and Diamond Brooch, c. 1890


€ 2,980.00 *
Content 1 piece
Incl. VAT, Shipping
Antique Australian Opal and Diamond Brooch, c. 1890
Antique Australian Opal and Diamond Brooch, c. 1890
Description
This description was automatically translated from German. If you have any questions about this piece of jewellery, we will be happy to help!
Jewellery with opals was quite rare until the late 19th century. This only changed with the discovery of the rich opal deposits in Australia towards the end of the century. These Australian opals captivated with their bright colors and unique play of light. In order to emphasize their value, they were often set alongside diamonds: "Indeed an excellent combination, as the diamonds lend their brilliance to these semi-precious stones and thus produce wonderful colour effects," as the gentle reader of the German ladies' journal Der Bazar wrote as early as 1889. This brooch dates from the time of this great opal fashion – and it is immediately obvious what a sensation the stones from "Down Under" must have caused when they first came to the European market. The flower-shaped brooch is crafted in silver on gold and combines the opals with small old-cut diamonds. Iridescent, strikingly intense colours seem to glide over the opal cabochons with every movement and change with every incidence of light. The colours are vibrant and captivate the eye. The brooch was probably made in Great Britain around 1890. We were able to discover it in London, together with the illustrated antique case of the jeweller John Knight & Co. of Leeds. The quote from Der Bazar 35 (December 23, 1889), p. 509.
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Size & Details
Antique Australian Opal and Diamond Brooch, c. 1890
Wonder from Down Under
€ 2,980.00 *
Content 1 piece
Incl. VAT, Shipping
Our Promise
Our Promise
Our Promise

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You can rely on our years of experience in the trade and our expertise as a professional art historians for reviews of the antique jewellery. As a member of various trade organisations and the British Society of Jewellery Historians, we remain committed to the highest possible degree of accuracy. In our descriptions, we always also indicate any signs of age and defects and never hide them in our photos – this saves you from any unpleasant surprises when your package arrives.

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