The Beautiful Era

La Belle Epoque translates to ‘The Beautiful Era’ which spanned from around 1871-1914. This was a time of wealth and economic prosperity in France due to the industrial revolution and was also considered a milestone for jewellery manufacturing.

Belle Epoque jewellery can be easily recognised due to the very feminine and delicate designs which often resemble pieces of lace, bows and swags. Items of this era are considered extremely rare as so few have survived the wars and hardships throughout the twentieth century until today.

Lot 3 in The Jewellery Auction on 19 May is a very impressive Belle Epoque diamond set brooch. This sturdy yet delicate brooch is an example of the unrivalled craftsmanship during this period, which saw all items created by hand. The brooch, reminiscent of an expensive piece of lace, is set with old European and rose cut diamonds totalling approximately 8.80 carats overall.

Although items of this era are often replicated, they cannot compare to the quality and sheer brilliance of the original period. This brooch is estimated at £10000 - £15000 and the history that it holds is worth even more still.

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Amy Cameron

McTear’s sells more jewellery than any other traditional auction house in the dedicated jewellery auctions that take place twice monthly, run concurrently live online on a platform that attracts six million visitors annually from over 120 countries worldwide.