Over The Moon

Posted On: 28 Feb 2023 by Anthony Eldred

A flow of quality items, jewellery, silver and watches continues to arrive at Eldreds for our spring auctions, with the latest consignment including a ladies' very smart Breitling wrist watch with diamond bezel, a Victorian gold and topaz cross pendant and a pair of good-quality diamond stud earrings, each of approximately one carat, which expects between £1,000 and £2,000. Also brought in for Eldreds experienced gemmology team to assess was a very unusual early-20th century brooch of saphiret glass carved into the shape of a moon face, surrounded by a horseshoe of white paste stones and set in a gilt mount. Saphiret jewellery pieces were made in a particular region of Czechoslovakia for only a small period of time due to the high production costs involved from mixing gold with sapphire blue-coloured glass; the technique producing a fusion of beautiful colour tones and iridescence. Motifs and intaglios such as the example consigned for Eldreds sale were made in the early period of saphiret production and other than jewellery, examples of saphiret glass can be found in photograph frames and other trinkets of the period. This rare little brooch is estimated at £100-120 and is sure to interest collectors.