The elegance of an era: an exquisite diamond and pearl brooch dating from the dawn of the Art Deco

This barrette brooch, straddling the opulence of the Belle Époque and the refined modernity of the Art Deco, evokes a Belgian heritage, circa 1920. In excellent condition, it is adorned with a symphony of 105 diamonds, including old brilliant, Swiss, and single cuts, totaling approximately 4.70 carats, set on a luxurious platinum. The central stone, an old brilliant-cut diamond of about 1.00 carat, J/K color and vs/si clarity, draws attention. Completed by 36 pearls, it reflects the era's fascination with nature and geometry. Pice which whispers the extravagance of the Belle Époque and the boldness of the Art Deco, it is a historic mosaic of beauty and precision.

Group of antique jewelry items: barrette brooch

Condition: excellent condition
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Country of origin: Although it bears no readable control marks, we believe it to be of Belgian origin.

Style: Between Art Deco and Belle Époque. The Art Deco is an eclectic artistic and design style that originated in Paris in the early decades of the 20th century. Emerging in the 1920s, it lasted until after World War II. The term "Art Deco" was widely used for the first time after an exhibition in 1966, referring to the 1925 International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts, which marked the height of high-end modern style in Paris. Championed by the best decorative arts designers, such as in fashion and interior decoration, Art Deco influenced all fields of design throughout the 1920s and 1930s, notably architecture and industrial design, as well as visual arts like painting, graphic arts, and cinema. At the time, this style was considered elegant, glamorous, functional, and modern. - See also: Art Deco.

The Belle Époque is a period in European social history that began at the end of the 19th century and lasted until World War I. Taking place during the era of the French Third Republic and the German Empire, it was retrospectively named the "Belle Époque": it began to be considered a "golden age." The great European powers, new technologies improved life, and commercial arts adapted Renaissance and 18th-century styles to modern forms. In the United States, newly wealthy after the Panic of 1873, this comparable era was called the Gilded Age. In the United Kingdom, this period overlapped the end of what is called the Victorian era and the period known as the Edwardian era. To learn more about the styles

Style specifics: It is something between the Belle Époque and the Art Deco.
The Belle Époque (in French "Belle Époque") is a period in European social history that began at the end of the 19th century with the Franco-Prussian War (1870-1871) and lasted until the First World War (1914-1918).

Taking place during the era of the French Third Republic and the German Empire, the "Belle Époque" was named retrospectively, when it began to be considered a "golden age": the great European powers, new technologies improved life, and commercial arts adapted Renaissance and 18th-century styles to modern forms.

In the newly wealthy United States, emerging from the Panic of 1873, this comparable era was dubbed the "Gilded Age." In the United Kingdom, this era coincided with the end of the Victorian era and the so-called "Edwardian era."


During the Belle Époque, coal and cheap labor contributed to the orchid craze and enabled the perfection of fruits grown under glass, while the apparatus of state dinners extended to the upper classes; champagne was perfected during the Belle Époque. Exotic feathers and furs played a more important role than ever in fashion, haute couture having been invented in Paris, the center of the Belle Époque, where fashion began to evolve on an annual cycle; in Paris, restaurants like Maxim's reached new splendor and prestige by becoming parade grounds for the wealthy, and the Opéra Garnier devoted immense spaces to staircases, similar venues for spectacle.

After the mid-century, railways connected all the major cities of Europe to spa towns such as Biarritz and Deauville; their carriages were strictly divided into first and second class, but the wealthiest began to order private carriages, exclusivity being the mark of opulent luxury. The bohemian lifestyle acquired a different glamour, practiced in the cabarets of Montmartre.

Art Deco
Abstract motifs and geometric shapes are typical of the Art Deco period. The Art Deco moves away from the soft pastels and organic forms of its predecessor, Art Nouveau, and draws inspiration from many styles and movements of the early 20th century, including Neoclassicism, Constructivism, Cubism, Modernism, and Futurism. Its popularity peaked in Europe during the Roaring Twenties and continued in the United States until the 1930s. Although many design movements have political or philosophical roots or intentions, Art Deco is purely decorative.

Period: circa 1920
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Material: platinum
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Diamond(s): An old brilliant-cut diamond with an estimated weight of ± 1.00 ct. (color and clarity: J/K, vs/si).
104 a mix of old brilliant-cut diamonds, Swiss brilliant-cut diamonds (also called 16/16), and single-cut brilliant diamonds (also called 8/8) with an estimated weight of ± 3.70 ct. (color and clarity: G/J, vs/i).
Total diamond weight: about 4.70 crt.
- All diamond weights, color grades, and clarity are approximate as the stones are not removed from their settings to preserve the integrity of the mounting.

Gemstones: 36 pearls (probably natural)

Birthstones: Diamond is the birthstone (or monthly stone) for April and pearl is for June.
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Hallmarks: No trace.
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Dimensions: 8.30 cm (3.27 inches) x 1.84 cm (0.72 inches)

Weight: 16.80 grams (10.80 dwt)