Brooch

Tiffany & Co.

ca. 1900 · Emerald, diamonds, platinum · The American Wing

This brooch features a large, square, step-cut emerald with rounded corners ringed by two concentric oval frames of round, marquis, and pear-shaped brilliant-cut diamonds. The gems are arranged like garlands in thin platinum bezels with millegrain detailing. Findings on the back of the piece allow it to be worn as either a brooch or a pendant. The delicate appearance of this and other "garland style" pieces popular around the turn of the twentieth century relied on the advanced use of platinum, which was a newly accessible material at the time of this brooch’s manufacture. Although unmarked, this piece was possibly made by New York-based jewelers Tiffany & Co. The first iteration of Tiffany & Co. was founded in New York City in 1837 and specialized in stationary and fancy goods. By the early 1900s, around the time this brooch was made, Tiffany & Co had become a favorite shopping destination of the Gilded Age elite, with branches in London and Paris.

Artist

Tiffany & Co.

Date

ca. 1900

Medium

Emerald, diamonds, platinum

Culture

American

Department

The American Wing

Credit line

Gift of Susan Dwight Bliss, 1953