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 de Bergerac”) in 1889. In 1907, the Lyonnais jewelry Alphonse Augis created a love token based on the poem...

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 Rosemond Gérard to her husband Edmond Rostand (author of “Cyrano de Bergerac”) in 1889. In 1907, the Lyonnais jewelry Alphonse Augis created a love token based on the poem, and his designs became iconic...

An elegant 18K gold and platinum marquise ring set with a central row of oval sapphires surrounded by rose cut diamonds. The sapphires have nicely saturated coloring, and the diamonds have good brilliance. The design is finished with a pierced gallery along the edges. Marquise rings were very fashionable in the Edwardian period and have a very elegant appearance on the hand. Today, they are among the most desirable shapes for engagement rings...

A very good French Art Nouveau 18K gold watch pin in the form of a mythological creature that appears to be a dragon with outspread feathered wings. The details are beautifully worked. The reverse is engraved to match the front. The creature grasps an antique cushion cut diamond in its jaws. The pin retains its original watch hook on the back. This piece could easily and inexpensively be transformed into a pendant with the additional of two pendant hooks at the wingtips...

An elegant Art Nouveau bracelet worked in 18K gold, each link is the form of a pansy enclosed in a scrolling border. The Victorian floriography (the “language of flowers”), the pansy represented the sentiment “think of me.” Jewels with pansies were often given as a romantic gesture or by the parents of a young woman upon her marriage. The bracelet is stamped with 18K fineness marks and an unidentified goldsmith’s mark.

• Origin: France, ca...

A very fine and moving 18K gold and enamel locket in loving memory of Francis Mary, Viscountess Forbes who died on Christmas Day, 1877. She married the Viscount Forbes, 26 years her senior when she was just 21 years old. She was predeceased by her husband, and though she never became a Countess, their son inherited the title Earl of Granard...

An elegant Art Nouveau bracelet comprising foliate shaped links set with round amethysts alternating with fleur-de-lis shaped links. The amethysts have the deep violet coloring typical of the best quality Siberian material. Tested and guaranteed 14K gold.

• Origin: America, ca 1895
• Condition: excellent
• Dimensions: 7-1/2” long
• Weight: 19.4 grams
• Approximate Total Amethyst Weight: 5.22 carats

A colorful 18K gold pendant from H Stern’s “Rainbow Collection,” featuring rectangular garnet, topaz, citrine, peridot, green tourmaline, aquamarine, and amethyst to represent the color spectrum of visible light. The stones are contained within a simple gold border. The reverse is stamped with Stern’s star mark. Tested and guaranteed 18K.

• Origin: Brazil, ca...

An elegant pair of 18K yellow gold earclips by Haroldo Burle Marx set with intricately carved jelly tourmalines in the “forma livre” (free form) style. Burle Marx was particularly known for his use of stones fashioned by carving or tumbling rather than faceting, a technique he invented in 1948. The tourmalines have greenish blueish overtones. The elongated shape of the stones, mirrored by the shape of the settings looks very good on the ear...

A very fine French Art Nouveau 18K yellow gold festoon necklace comprising three gold plaques exquisitely engraved in a pattern of roses and their foliage. The plaques are curved to create a "festoon" look, and are suspended from a gold chain set with natural seed pearls. The backs of the plaques are lightly engraved with a reverse image of the roses—a hidden luxury that speaks to the quality of the piece...

An elegant pair of 18K yellow gold earclips by Haroldo Burle Marx set with intricately carved jelly opals in the “forma livre” (free form) style. Burle Marx was particularly known for his use of stones fashioned by carving or tumbling rather than faceting, a technique he invented in 1948. The moonstones have bluish overtones with broad flashes of pinkish-orange. The elongated shape of the stones, mirrored by the shape of the settings looks very good on the ear...

A chunky French tank bracelet worked in rose and yellow gold. The 1937 World’s Fair gave rise to a fashion for “tank jewelry,” so called for its perceived resemblance to the treads of armored tanks...

A lovely 18K gold locket, the front cover bezel-set with rhodolite garnets. The garnets have very fine color with bright shots of violet. The gold surface is stippled. The back cover is ornately engraved in a checkerboard pattern. The interior has a hinged glass cover. The locket is deep enough that it was likely intended to contain both a portrait and a keepsake of some sort. The bail is stamped with French 18K gold marks.

• Origin: France, ca. 1870
• Condition: excellent
• Dim...

A superb Ventian Etruscan pendant or charm set with citrine, smoky quartz, green and green tourmaline, aquamarine, blue topaz, hessonite garnet, and almandine garnet. These large pendants come in many different shapes, but this is the first time we've seen one in the shape of a six-pointed star (Star of David.) The gemstones are nicely colored and all the gold surfaces are enhanced with intricate ropetwist and beaded decoration. Tested and guaranteed 18K.

• Origin: Italy, ca 1955
• Co...

A lovely 18K gold locket, the front cover bezel-set with Persian turquoise cabochons. The stones are nicely matched for color. The gold surface is stippled and engraved in a rayed pattern with a foliate border. The engraving on the back takes design elements from the front. The interior has a glass cover. The locket is deep enough that it was likely intended to contain both a portrait and a keepsake of some sort. The original bail, also engraved and set with a turquoise cabochon, is stamped with...

A particularly attractive Georgian example of a Halley’s Comet pin worked in 18K yellow gold, accented with black enamel, and featuring a comet head set with a bright green paste stone to represent the comet’s nucleus surrounded by old cut clear paste stones representing the bright coma. The pastes are set in an elegant buttercup setting with a fluted back. The gold setting also has engraved decorative elements representing the comet’s tail.
In 1705, Edmond Halley correctly predicted th...

The wonderful gold medal won by James Ephraim Narraway at the 1929 tournament of the Correspondence Chess League of America (CCLA). The medal features a black and white enameled chessboard surrounded by a laurel wreath and surmounted by a crown. The back is engraved “C.C.L.A. 1929 Leaderhip ‘A’ 1st Prize Won By J. E Narraway.” The medal was likely originally attached to a neck ribbon, but would be really nice worn today as a pendant or on a chunky charm bracelet. Tested and guaranteed 10...

A classic Venetian Etruscan 18K gold charm set with oval amethysts. The gold surfaces are ornately worked with rosettes, beaded and rope-twist decoration. The amethysts have nice intense violet color that contrasts beautifully with the surrounding gold. Charms of this type are usually extremely large, but this example is in a rare smaller size that’s easier to wear on a bracelet or as a pendant. Tested and guaranteed 18K.

• Origin: Italy, ca. 1955
• Condition: excellent
• Dime...