When you think of a brooch, you may first picture the oval ivory cameo pin that Victorian ladies wore at the throat of their blouses. However, brooches have come in many other shapes, styles and sizes throughout the years.
The History of the Brooch
Initially, brooches were merely functional – serving as a way to secure openings in clothing. These clasps were made of wood, wire, or even bone. Older brooches are typically large and made from bronze or silver, to more effectively secure wool or leather coats or shawls. Throughout the Middle Ages, brooches were popularly worn as jewelry, utilized as medieval badges upon the completion of successful pilgrimages or as a protective charm. In Europe, gold, diamonds, and gemstones were fashioned into brooches that represented upper-class affiliations or patron saints’ themes.
In the twentieth century, decorative brooches were worn to reflect cultural loyal, and in the 21st century, these artfully designed pieces of jewelry have become highly sought after pieces of historic heritage that can be incredibly valuable.
The Development of the Diamond Brooch
Many of the most stunning styles of fashionable brooches eventually incorporated diamonds and other precious stones into their designs. This type of brooch created an amazing, and oftentimes highly valuable, work of art. Due to the typically large size of the pin, it offered their makers more creative freedom, and many diamond brooches are artistically designed to look like flowers, animals, and dazzling combinations of colored stones, jewels and precious metals. Similar to diamonds on engagement rings, diamonds on brooches can be cut into any number of stunning styles:
- Pear shaped
- Round brilliant
- Marquise
- Pave
- Princess cut
In addition to the different cuts of stones, diamond brooches can also be seen in a number of different sizes and shapes, such as bars, circles – open, closed or penannular, bows, hearts or crosses, knots or in abstract shapes.
The different workmanship, materials, designs and stones used on diamond brooches can communicate much about the wearer, including:
- Religious priorities
- Fraternal memberships
- Guild affiliations
- Social status
- Economic position
- Cultural heritage
- Time period
Diamond Works of Art
One highly recognized ornamental brooch that has captured the essence of how stunning a diamond brooch can be, is The Peacock Brooch. This piece is priced at $100 million, and features a collection of diamonds – clear and colored – throughout the fanned tail feathers of a sparkling peacock. Although the pin is a little over 10 cm in height, a total of 120.81 carats of diamonds, including a 20.02 carat dark blue pear shaped diamond.
Brooches from the vintage cameo to diamond brooches like The Peacock Brooch are excellent examples of how much variety and value can be found in these beautiful, historic pieces of jewelry. If you have a diamond brooch, or other piece of jewelry that you would like to sell, be sure to visit Pinto Cash For Gold and Jewellery Buyers at our location near Yonge, contact us online, or call us to discover its worth.
