Vintage gold and platinum enameled butterfly brooch set with brilliant cut diamonds

Antique jewelry object group
brooch

Condition
very good condition
more info on our condition scale

Style
Vintage
See also: vintage jewelry
more info on styles

Period
ca. 1980
Events & facts of this era, poetry of this era, fashion of this era.

Source of inspiration
Mother Nature

Theme
Butterfly

Material
platinum and 18K yellow gold (touchstone tested)
more info on precious metals

Technique
Enamelling is an old and widely-adopted technology. The ancient Egyptians applied enamels to pottery and stone objects. The ancient Greeks, Celts, Russians, and Chinese also used enameling processes on metal objects. Enamel is the colorful result of fusing powdered glass to a substrate by firing, usually between 750 and 850 degrees Celsius. The powder melts and flows and hardens to a smooth, durable vitreous coating on metal, glass or ceramic. According to some sources, the word enamel comes from the High German word smelzan (to smelt) via the Old French esmail. Used as a noun, "an enamel" is a usually small decorative object, coated with enamel coating, such as a champlevé or a cloisonné (different techniques).

Extra information
Butterfly - Artistic depictions of butterflies have been used in many cultures including Egyptian hieroglyphs 3500 years ago. In the ancient Mesoamerican city of Teotihuacan, the brilliantly colored image of the butterfly was carved into many temples, buildings, jewelry, and emblazoned on incense burners in particular. Today, butterflies are widely used in various objects of art and jewelry: mounted in frames, embedded in resin, displayed in bottles, laminated in paper, and used in some mixed media artworks and furnishings.

Butterfly symbolism - A butterfly was seen in Japan as the personification of a person's soul; whether they be living, dying, or already dead. One Japanese superstition says that if a butterfly enters your guestroom and perches behind the bamboo screen, the person whom you most love is coming to see you. The Russian word for "butterfly", bábochka, also means "bow tie". It is a diminutive of "baba" or "babka" (= "woman, grandmother, cake"), whence also "babushka" = "grandmother".

The ancient Greek word for "butterfly" is psyche, which primarily means "soul" or "mind". According to Mircea Eliade's Encyclopedia of Religion, some of the Nagas of Manipur trace their ancestry from a butterfly. In Chinese culture, two butterflies flying together symbolize love. Also, Butterfly Lovers is a famous Chinese folktale. In some old cultures, butterflies also symbolize rebirth after being inside a cocoon for a period of time. Some people say that when a butterfly lands on you it means good luck. The idiom "butterflies in the stomach" is used to describe a state of nervousness. (From Wikipedia) Cartier - A leading French jewelry firm, founded in 1847 by Louis-Francois Cartier (1819-1904).

Its headquarters are in Paris, with branches in several major centres. The founder was joined in 1872 by his son Alfred (1836-1925), and the latter, with his eldest son, Louis (1875-1942), moved the Paris business in 1898 to its present address, 13 Rue de la Paix.

In 1902 Alfred's second son, Pierre (1878-1964), opened a branch in London and in 1903 in New York City. In 1909 the London branch was taken over by-the youngest brother Jacques (1885-1942), by which time it had moved to its present address at 175 New Bond St.

A group headed by Robert Hocq (1917-79)acquired from the Cartier family the branches in Paris (1972), London (1974), and New York (1976). Hocq was Managing Director until his death when he was succeeded by his daughter, Nathalie (b. 1951),who since 1974 had headed the high-fashion jewelry department and promoted the boutique collection of jewelry known as Les Musts'.

Originally the firm made jewelry of enameled gold set with gemstones, which attracted a prestigious clientele, including French royalty and the future Edward VII;in recent years it has greatly expanded into new types and styles of jewelry, and is extending its world-wide operations.

Diamonds
43 brilliant cut diamonds with an estimated weight of ± 1.00ct colour and clarity F/H, vs/si
All diamond weights, color grades and clarity are approximate since stones are not removed from their mounts to preserve the integrity of the setting.
All diamonds we offer are screened by the I.J.G.C. for whether they are natural or synthetic, and all diamonds in this jewel are 100% guaranteed to be natural.

Birthstones
Diamond is the birthstone (or month stone) for April.
more info on birthstones

Hallmarks
see pictures
more info on hallmarks

Dimensions
3,10 cm (1,22 inch) x 2,22 cm (0,87 inch)
see picture with a ruler in millimeters and inches

Weight
10,50 gram (6,75 dwt)

Adin Reference Nº
21351-0038

Copyright photography
Adin, fine antique jewellery

Additional information
our latest acquisitions
jewelry glossary
wall of fame
visit us in Antwerp
subscribe to our mailinglist