A lovely pair of French Victorian 18K gold earrings set with sapphires and rose cut diamonds. Each earring features a prong-set blue sapphire surrounded by a cluster of ten rose cut diamonds, bead-set in an engraved background. The backs are finished with a hand-pierced gallery. The sapphires and diamonds have particularly good color and clarity for the period. This style of earrings was popular in the 1850's when popular hairstyles that covered the ears rendered large earrings irrelevant...

A fine Victorian 18K yellow gold fancy link long chain necklace. The 47” chain has ornate scrolling plaques separated by smaller simple links. The fancy links are further highlighted with rope-twist and beaded decoration. The generous length allows the chain to be worn doubled or tripled. Necklaces of this style are distinctly French and were popular from the Second Empire through the beginning of the 20th century...

A delightful vintage 14K yellow gold bracelet by Tiffany & Co. featuring three reverse-carved Essex crystals. The center crystal depicts a horse and rider jumping a fence and is flanked by a matching pair of crystals depicting hounds. The crystals are separated by links in the shape of horseshoes overlaid with bits. Sporting bracelets set with Essex crystals are uncommon and examples by major makers such as Tiffany are nearly impossible to find. The back is marked "Tiffany & Co./14K/Pat. Sept...

A nice Georgian locket in the form of a Maltese cross with a central rock crystal locket compartment. The arms of the cross are made from faceted carnelian plaques mounted in gold around the central compartment. The compartment was intended to hold the woven hair or perhaps a miniature portrait of a loved one. The Cross of the Knights Hospitallers of St. John was created in 1126 based on designs from the Crusades...

A beautiful Second Empire 18K yellow gold locket, the front decorated with an enamel portrait of a society lady in a brightly-colored formal dress. Her ornate hairdo is studded with an ostrich plume, blue forget-me-nots, lace and small rose-cut diamonds. Interestingly, she wears a locket in the portrait, as well as a gold bracelet and a shoulder brooch. The portrait is enclosed in a frame of opaque black enamel that accents the punch-work decoration around the image...

This exquisite French Victorian pendant/brooch features a fine onyx cameo depicting a fairy-winged woodland nymph, her translucent gown pulled aside to expose her breasts, dancing and tossing boughs of flowers. The cameo is surrounded by an ornate shield-shaped border of rose-cut diamonds and a single natural pearl set in silver over 18K gold. The diamonds are of very good quality with excellent brilliance and clarity...

A pretty late Victorian 10K gold locket, the front decorated with a colorful champleve and painted enamel image of a thistle blossom. In Victorian flower language, the thistle represented the sentiment "meddling is unwelcome." One can imagine a rebellious young woman using it to hide the image of a suitor of whom her parents don't quite approve! And of course, the thistle is the emblem of Scotland. The cover opens by pressing on the bail, a mechanism we've never seen before...

A fine 18K yellow gold Venetian Etruscan fob bracelet charm or pendant set with five oval amethysts and four pearls in a crown shape. The gold surfaces are enhanced with twisted wire, rosettes and beading. The amethysts have very attractive medium violet coloring with excellent clarity. The bail is stamped with Italian 18K gold hallmarks.

• Origin: Italy, ca...

A fine 19K yellow gold folding ball locket with a capacity for four images. The exterior is decorated with a stippled checkerboard pattern with a belt on either side that holds the sphere closed. When the belts are unlatched, the locket opens accordian-style to reveal the inner frames. These lockets have become increasingly difficult to find...

This fabulous snarling tiger is glowing with lifelike translucent enamels in multiple shades of gold, orange, brown and black. The nostrils and tongue are accented with deep red enamel. Each eye is set with an old European cut diamond and the fangs grasp a third diamond. The stones are good quality, graded at I color, SI1 clarity. The pendant is deeply three-dimensional with superb detailing. The back is also stamped with Alling & Co.’s mark. Alling was manufacturer for leading retailers such ...

A lovely 18K yellow gold, diamond and ruby love pendant (“medaille d’amour”) with a rebus spelling out Plus qu’hier, moins que demain,” (“More than yesterday, less than tomorrow.”) a line from the love poem written by Rosemonde Gérard to her husband Edmond Rostand (author of “Cyrano”) in 1889. The word “plus” is symbolized by a plus sign set with a rose cut diamond and the word “moins” by a minus sign set with rectangular cut synthetic rubies. In 1907, the Lyonnais ...

A gorgeous enameled clover, worked in several shades of green is featured in this ring converted from a Victorian earring. The enamel has a soft velvety appearance and is accented at the center with a small pearl. The clover is set on a sturdy 14K gold split shank. Four-leaf clovers are generally associated with good luck, but in Victorian flower symbology, they also carried the sentiment, "Be mine." So whether you're in love or just feeling lucky, this ring is perfect!

• Origin: America, c...

A lovely, colorful Art Nouveau 14K gold, seed pearl and enamel pin in the form of a violet by the Newark firm Crane & Theurer. The flower petals are enameled in cream darking gradually through lilac to deep violet along the edges. Each of the petals is finished with an arc of tiny seed pearls echoing the larger pearl set at the flower's center. The reverse is stamped with the maker's hallmark and "14K."

• Origin: America, ca. 1910.
• Condition: excellent.
• Dimensions: 13/16" x ...

An elegant pair of Victorian 14K yellow gold earrings set with Mediterranean coral. The engraved mountings are set with coral bars and an applied vine motif. The drops can be removed from the surmounts for a more restrained appearance for daytime wear. Tested and guaranteed 14K gold.

• Origin: America, ca 1860.
• Condition: excellent; all original.
• Dimensions: 1-5/8" from top of wire.
• Weight: 5.5 grams.

A stunning Art Nouveau 18K gold brooch featuring an enameled and engraved portrait of Pallas Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom, horses and olives. Her beautifully engraved helmet is adorned with a small rose cut diamond. Her armor and the embroidery along the edges of her gown are also engraved. The quality of the painted enamel facial details and the background champleve enamel in royal blue is gorgeous. The edges of the medallion are enhanced with natural pearls. The back retains the origina...

An elegant Art Nouveau 14K gold pendant and watch pin depicting the Greek goddess Pallas Athena. The design is worked in the medallist style more typical of French Art Nouveau jewelry, but this piece is American. The workmanship is first rate. Athena was the goddess of wisdom, horses and olives, and was the patroness of Athens. Here she is shown wearing her helmet, but it is adorned with wings instead of the usual dragon. Her identity is confirmed, however, with the sprigs of olive leaves and fr...

An imposing 18K yellow gold hinged bangle bracelet set with sapphires and diamonds. A row of alternating old mine cut diamonds and cushion cut sapphires stretches across the top of the bracelet, flanked on either side by a row of rose cut diamonds set in silver. The sapphires, each of about .75 carat, are of outstanding quality, with vibrant pure blue coloring, eye-clean clarity, and a velvety appearance. The diamonds, each of about .6 carat, are graded as G/SI1. The bangle is double-hinged so i...

A lovely Art Nouveau depiction of the Greek goddess Iris worked in 14K yellow gold. The goddess wears an elaborate floral headdress punctuated with an old mine cut diamond. Her wings, in folded position, can just be seen behind her shoulders. The brooch is finished with a garland of iris blossoms and foliage. Iris was the goddess of the rainbow and, as such, connected the earthly and heavenly worlds. The back of the brooch retains the original c-clasp and watch hook. It can easily be converted t...