When the line between want and need becomes quite blurry.
A 19th century 18 karat rose brooch set with an approx. 5ct blue zircon surrounded by 269 antique, old, table and rose cut diamonds, approximately 5ct in total, set in silver. Length 80mm, 33mm wide, some branches moveable. Weight 22.8 grams.
The brooch is made of silver on the front and gold on the back so that it does not stain clothing. According to its workmanship and the typical naturalism of its form, it was made around 1880.
One melee diamond under petal missing. Not visible unless scrutinized/known.
Zircon is still not very well known by many, even though it’s been used as a gemstone since antiquity. The name is generally believed to have been derived from the Persian “zargun,” which means golden-colored. With good hardness, excellent brilliance and fire, zircon deserves to be more popular than it is–and indeed the popularity and prices of fine zircons have risen substantially in recent years. While it comes in a wide variety of colors, the most popular is a deep blue-green often referred to as “Caribbean Blue,” a reference to the similarity to the color of the waters of the Caribbean Sea.
Zircon should not be confused with the manmade gem cubic zirconia. It is a natural gemstone and has different properties than the manmade gemstone.
