Berganza

Art Deco diamond solitaire ring. Set with a central round old cut diamond, I colour, SI1 clarity, with an approximate weight of 4.17 carats in an open back claw setting, to an angula...

Cartier diamond eternity ring. Set with seventy two round brilliant cut diamonds in open back grain settings with a combined approximate ...

Cartier ruby and diamond ring. Set with sixteen round brilliant cut natural unenhanced rubies to two horizontally set tapered rows in open back grain settings with an approximate com...

No Oil Edwardian Colombian emerald and diamond coronet cluster ring. Set to centre with a rectangular emerald-cut natural Colombian emerald...

Viking gold penannular twisted ring. A yellow gold ring formed of a single twisted gold rod, graduating from center, the ends of the rod drawn out to a sol...

Byzantine silver and niello ring. A heavy solid ring, fitted to centre with a raised rounded oblong bezel featuring two niello opposed advancing lions grasping a processional cross, ...

Ancient Roman gold ring with Minerva intaglio. Set to centre with an oval hardstone intaglio in a closed back roman set setting, finely engraved with an image of the goddess of wisdom and war, Minerva, who is depicted wearing a helmet and holding a spear and olive branch in a signet ring design featuring a finely raised border and closed backholing, leading to broad trumpeting shoulders which taper to a solid shank. Tested yellow gold, approximately 15.99 grams in weight, circa 3rd-4th century AD. Minerva was the virgin goddess of music...

Proto-Viking gold zoomorphic ring. A yellow gold sinuous penannular ring, composed of two ridged plaques (or bodies) with incised decoration, each flanked ...

Saxon ornate gold ring. Set to centre with a circular disk featuring an open cruciform, decorative granulation and raised borders with ribbed detailin...

Black opal and diamond cluster ring. Set to centre with an oval cabochon natural black opal in an open back claw setting with an approximate weight of 13.00 carats, flanked by two re...

Art Deco fancy light yellow diamond two stone ring. Set with one round old cut fancy light yellow diamond, VS2 clarity with an approximat...

Ceylon sapphire and diamond flanked solitaire ring. Set to centre with an oval old cut natural unenhanced Ceylon sapphire in an open back claw setting with an approximate weight of 7...

Antique diamond and ruby target ring. Centrally set with a round transitional cut diamond, F colour, VS1 clarity with an approximate weight of 2.46 ca...

Sapphire and diamond flanked solitaire ring. Set to centre with a rectangular step cut natural unenhanced Ceylon sapphire in an open bac...

Yellow Ceylon sapphire and diamond ring. Set with a cushion shape old cut natural unenhanced yellow Ceylon sapphire in an open ...

Victorian pink topaz and diamond cluster ring. Centrally set with a cushion shape old cut natural unenhanced pink topaz in an open back ...

Old mine fancy yellow diamond drop earrings. A matching pair of earrings set to bottom with a cushion shape old mine fancy yellow diamond, one SI1 clari...

Fancy colour diamond flower ring by Oscar Heyman Bros. Set with thirty one round brilliant cut natural unenhanced yellow diamonds in open back grain settings with a combined approxim...

Art Deco sapphire and diamond ring. Set with an octagonal scissor cut natural unenhanced Ceylon sapphire in an open back double four claw setting with an approximate weight of 3.10 c...

Aquamarine and diamond pendant. Set with one octagonal scissor cut natural unenhanced aquamarine in an open back split claw setting with an approximate weight of 17.00 carats, set to top with three round old cut diamonds in open back rubover settings with a combined approximate weight of 0.20 carats, to a large drop pendant...

Antique Colombian emerald and rose cut diamond flanked solitaire ring. Set with rectangular emerald-cut natural Colombian emerald with no colour enhancement and minor clarity enhance...

Oscar Heyman Brothers star sapphire cocktail ring. Centrally set with an oval cabochon natural unenhanced star sapphire in an open back claw setting with an approximate weight of 18....

Art Deco Colombian emerald and diamond drop earrings. A matching pair, set to top and bottom with an octagonal emerald-cut ...

Ceylon sapphire and diamond cluster ring. Centrally set with a cushion shape old cut natural unenhanced Ceylon sapphire in an open back claw setting with an approximate weight of 5.7...

Colombian emerald and diamond two stone cluster ring. Set to centre with an octagonal emerald cut natural Colombian emerald with no colour enhancement and minor clarity enhancement in an open back claw setting with an approximate weight of 1.50 carats, further set with one round old cut diamond in an open back claw setting with an approximate weight of 0.95 carats, flanked by two rectangular baguette cut diamonds in open back half rubover settings with a combined weight of 0.25 carats, decorated further with twenty two round mixed old cut diamonds in open back grain settings with a combined weight of 0.65 carats. The total approximate diamond weight is 1.85 carats to a vertical two stone...

Victorian diamond riviere necklace. Set with a graduated row of fourtey nine cushion shape old mine diamonds in open back rubover si...

Diamond and sapphire cluster ring. Set to centre with one round old cut diamond in an open back rubover setting with an approximate weight of 0.75 carats, further set with four calib...

Colombian emerald and diamond ring. Centrally set with a rectangular old cut natural Colombian emerald with no colour enhancement and minor clarity enhancement in an open back split ...

Edwardian fancy light yellow diamond three stone ring. Set centrally with a cushion shape old mine cut natural and unenhanc...

Ceylon yellow sapphire and diamond coronet cluster ring. Set to centre with a cushion shape old cut natural unenhanced Ceylon yellow sapphire in...

Diamond bracelet by Oscar Heyman Brothers. An articulated two row bracelet set with three motifs of a vertically set marquise shape brilliant cut diamo...

Ruby and diamond ring by Oscar Heyman Brothers. Set slightly raised to centre with a natural unenhanced oval old cut ruby in an open back claw setting with an approximate weight of 1...

Drop emerald and diamond earrings, circa 1970. A pair of platinum earrings each composed of drop shaped emerald, the two with an approximate total weight of 36.00 carats, suspended ...

Vintage coral & onyx ring by Cartier. Set with six rectangular cabochon onyx alternated by six rectangular cabochon coral, spaced with fine yellow gold bars and outer border, to a sm...

Medieval zoomorphic sapphire ring. An important piece, horizontally set with a sapphire cabochon, originally used as a bead with lengthwise drill hole, in a closed back collet settin...

Vintage diamond cocktail ring. Set centrally with thirty three round brilliant cut diamonds in open back grain settings with a combined approximate weight of 2.00 carats, further set...

Antique marquise ruby and diamond ring. Vertically set to the centre with two round old cut diamonds in slightly raised open back rubove...

Sapphire and diamond bow brooch by Marcus & Co, American, circa 1935. A yellow gold and platinum bow form brooch set with one central row of twenty eig...

Saint Cecelia chatelaine pendant by Froment-Meurice. A gold and silver pendant in the Renaissance Revival style, the main element composed of an ornately carved openwork architectural structure in the form of an altarpiece, the central niche surmounted by a cupola set with pearls, with scroll and scalloped details to the interior and suspending a fleur-de-lis, containing a figure of Saint Cecelia playing a viola da gamba with two dancing putti to either side, flanked by two smaller raised pedestals issuing fleur-de-lis, each set with a putto (one playing a harp, the other playing a triangle), suspending a double swagged gold chain set with pearls, with two further chains suspending on one side a circular lapis lazuli seal in a trumpet form mount and on the other a watch winder, the whole accented with blue enamel and set to the reverse with a hinged band loop, approximately 9.5cm in total length. Tested yellow gold and silver, French, circa 1850. François Désiré Froment-Meurice (1802-1855) was one of the most important French jewellery and silversmiths of the nineteenth century, described by Victor Hugo as the Cellini of his age. He exhibited in a number of International Exhibitions, where Queen Victoria and Prince Albert were among his clients. The Renaissance Revival, as seen here, and the Gothic Revival were his two major decorative styles. This piece is also typical of his penchant for placing a silver figure, usually female, within a yellow gold architectural mount. The central figure and flanking putti are identical to those found on two brooches by Froment-Meurice, one in the Birmingham Museum and one in the Schmuckmuseum Pforzheim. Another brooch by Froment-Meurice, in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum, features a similar central figure, but this time as an angel with wings, in a silver oval blue enamelled frame. These examples also bear a similar gold and blue enamel architectural mount, and differ only in the surrounding and pendulant embellishments. Saint Cecelia is the patroness of music, whose feast day is celebrated each November. A Roman maiden, she was amongst the earliest and most famous of the Roman martyrs, reputedly beheaded in 230 AD under the Emperor Alexander Severus. Throughout history, Saint Cecelia has inspired musicians and poets alike, appearing in John Dryden...

Enamelled silver gilt box, Cartier Paris, French, circa 1930. A silver gilt box in black enamel, the top centred with a stylized floral design, the hin...

Antique natural Burmese sapphire and diamond cluster ring. Set vertically with an oval old cut natural unenhanced Burmese sapphire in an open b...

Antique shell cameo brooch and earrings by John Brogden, English, circa 1870. A yellow gold suite of jewellery, the brooch composed of a horizontally situated oval Bull’s Mouth shell cameo of the Greek goddess Selene riding a serpentine dragon in a rubover collet setting, encircled by a conforming frame of gold beading and twisted gold wire punctuated with four gold palmette form plaques engraved and decorated with dark blue enamel and placed at the cardinal points, the reverse mounted with a hinged pin and scroll clasp, the earrings each composed of a vertical oval Bull’s Mouth shell cameo engraved with a bust length portrait of Selene with crescent-set headdress, encircled by a conforming frame matching that of the brooch with the addition of a pendant decoration composed of a horizontal bar of gold beading and twisted gold wires suspending gold link chains graduated from centre and ending in conical gold elements, the reverses mounted with French wire fittings, all in a fitted red leather case, the interior marked ‘FIRST CLASS PARIS MEDAL/ 1855.1867.1851/ PARIS FIRST CLASS & LONDON PRIZE MEDALS/ JOHN BROGDON/ Goldsmith/ MANUFACTORY/ 16, Henrietta St. Covent Garden/ London’. The cameo—defined as a gem, usually either a mineral or a shell, upon which a design has been carved in relief—is believed to have originated in Hellenistic Greece, during the third century BC. These miniature sculptures, at that time confined to the medium of hardstone, are thought to have been made with the primary purpose of personal adornment. The same practice of mounting cameos in jewellery was then continued by the Ancient Romans, and they are known to have been worn by many a Roman emperor. After the fall of Rome the fashion for cameos went into a decline, until it was again revived during the Renaissance period, brought about by a keen interest in the ancient world. At this time both antique and contemporary cameos were mounted in jewellery, as well as collected as objet d’art. The art of cameo cutting was revived in Italy, where it would remain a centre for the coming centuries. Again there was a lull in interest in carved gemstones, until the Neoclassical revival of the eighteenth century, largely stimulated by the discoveries of the ancient Roman cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum. As with the Renaissance, antique specimens were generally prized over modern cameos, and the worldliest men in Europe held them among their collections of art and antiques. That said, carving centres in Rome and Torre del Greco (near Naples) in Italy were established in response to the demand of the Grand Tourists, who travelled to Italy and Greece to become educated in the wonders of the ancient world. It was at this time that shell cameos, mostly made in Torre del Greco due to its proximity to the sea, became more popular, owing to the relative ease in carving shell over hardstone. In addition to Rome, hardstone cameos also became a specialty of Idar Oberstein, Germany, which had a long history with both the gem mining and cutting trade. In a shift away from the collector’s cases of the previous century, the nineteenth century saw a strengthening in the fashion for wearable cameos. After the Empress Josephine donned a cameo-set suite of jewellery at the coronation of Napoleon in 1804, cameo jewellery became all the rage. Napoleon played a further hand in promoting the art by establishing a gemstone carving school in Paris, inspired by his appreciation for the arts of the ancient world. By the mid-nineteenth century shell cameos, in part due to their lightness compared with hardstone cameos, were the height of fashion. Large shell cameos as well as hardstone cameos were set into contemporary mounts, often as suites of jewellery. Some of the best cameos of the nineteenth century—carved by a select group of recognized carvers—were set into revivalist mounts, corresponding to the subject matter. In Victorian England cameo jewellery was particularly prized, due in part to the fact that the Queen owned and wore a number of cameo jewels. One example which can often be seen in official portraits is the Badge of the Order of Victoria and Albert, carved by Tommaso Saulini of Rome, who also produced cameos for the maker of the present suite, John Brogden. To meet demand some carvers set themselves up in London, including William Schmidt, a German carver from Idar Oberstein, who produced cameos for top London jewellers, including Brogden, Carlo Giuliano and Child & Child. In fact, Schmidt purports to have been the first to carve cameos out of opal, which Brogden reportedly displayed in the Paris Exhibition of 1878. An extant example, now in the collection of the British Museum, was set by the Giuliano firm. Regarding subject matter, cameos throughout time have been largely figural, from bust length profile portraits to scenes with multiple full-length figures, and sometimes animals. Ancient Greek and Roman cameos often depicted mythological scenes as well as contemporary figures. During the Renaissance, mythological scenes were popular, often taken directly from ancient sculpture, as well as portraits of notable contemporary figures. During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, due to the revivalist styles, both Renaissance and Classical subjects were copied and set into matching (and sometimes unmatching) revivalist mounts. From the Renaissance through the Victorian era, being able to recognize the source of the carving in a cameo was a mark of erudition, revealing in the wearer knowledge of Classical art. As mentioned, the present cameo parure...

Colombian emerald and diamond cluster ring by Oscar Heyman Brothers. Horizontally set with an oval old cut natural Colombian emerald with no colour enhancement in an open back rubove...

No Oil Colombian emerald and diamond three stone ring. Set with a rectangular emerald-cut natural Colombian emerald with no colour enhancement and no indication of clarity modificati...

Ornate diamond cluster ring, circa 1920. A platinum ring set with one central round old cut diamond in a claw setting weighing 2.09 carats, I colour, SI2 clarity, flanked by two roun...

Boucheron ruby and diamond cocktail ring. Centrally set with two rows of square step cut natural unenhanced rubies in open back rubover and channel settings, fourteen in total with a...

Vintage Monture Cartier Burmese sapphire ring. Set to centre with an oval cabochon natural unenhanced Burmese sapphire in an open back rubover setting wi...

Art Deco diamond drop earrings. A matching pair, each surmounted with a round old cut diamond in an open back grain setting, two in tota...

Antique cat's eye chrysoberyl and diamond coronet cluster ring. Centrally set with a natural unenhanced cabochon cat's eye chrysoberyl in an open back claw setting with an approximat...

Ruby and diamond tassle earrings. A matching pair of earrings, each set with ten square and triangular step cut natural unenhanced rubies, all twenty in open back rubover settings wi...

Vintage Ceylon sapphire and diamond cluster ring. Centrally set with one oval old cut natural unenhanced Ceylon sapphire in an open back claw setting wi...

Vintage emerald-cut diamond solitaire diamond ring. Set with a rectangular emerald-cut diamond, H colour, VS1 clarity with an approximat...

Vintage Burmese sapphire and diamond engagement ring. Set to centre with one cushion shape old cut natural unenhanced Burmese sapphire in an open back four claw setting with an appro...

Art Deco Asscher cut diamond ring. Set to centre with one central octagonal asscher cut diamond, I colour, VVS2 clarity, in an open back corner cl...

Cartier solitaire diamond engagement ring. Set to centre with a round old cut diamond, D colour, VVS2 clarity, with an approx...

Boucheron Paris Burmese sapphire and diamond solitaire ring. Set to centre with a cushion shape old cut natural unenhanced Burmese sapphire in an open back claw setting with a weight...

Solitaire old cut diamond ring with diamond set shoulders. Set to centre with a round old cut diamond, J colour, VVS1 clarity, with a weight of 4.01 carats in an open back split claw...

Natural pearl and diamond tiara/necklace/bracelet. Set with twenty seven round natural saltwater pearls, approximately 5.4 to 9.8mm in diameter, further set with six round old cut diamonds in open back rubover settings with a combined weight of 2.40 carats, embellished with seven drop shape briolette cut diamonds in bead settings with a combined weight of 4.00 carats, further set with one hundred and seven round old cut diamonds in open back rubover settings, fifty one forming the tiara band, fifty six forming the bracelet, with a combined weight of 21.70 carats. The total approximate diamond weight is 27.90 carats, to an impressive articulated necklace, featuring fringes of graduating pearls interspersed between festoons of pearl and diamond highlights, the diamond set band of...

Antique natural pearl and diamond necklace, circa 1880. A gold and silver necklace with one central florette set with a natural roun...

Antique diamond necklace. Set with one cushion shape old mine diamond in an open back raised claw setting with a weight of 1.32 carats, furthe...