Vintage Luxury- Chanel Jewelry Brooches

Rare Byzantine Crest Brooch of rectangular and square cut gem colored and crystal foiled stones. This incredibly massive brooch is mounted on a signatur...

Chanel's Barbaric Medieval round brooch of unusual and irregularly claw set poured glass emerald, ruby and sapphire irregular cabochons and prong set crystal strasses. This brooch is from the period when Chanel jewels were still made completely by hand. This Maison Gripoix brooch demonstrates the technique and quality available to the Chanel ateliers in the early 80's under Karl Lagerfeld. Each "stone" is of hand poured glass by Maison Gripoix, but, more significantly each prong is hand crafted prior so that these molten drops of glass can fit within them to give the appearance of "claw set" stones. The entire brooch is then backed on a gilded bronze back plate which acts like a mirror or reflector in giving these the glass stones "life" as raw tumbled emeralds, sapphires and rubies. It was Mlle Chanel's wish to elevate "faux" jewelry and this is clearly demonstrated in this instance. It takes extraordinary technique and experience at the jewelers bench...