Exquisite Necklace with 8.90 ct Diamonds in Platinum, c. 1915

The great diamond discoveries in South Africa rendered diamond jewellery ubiquitous at the end of the 19th century – and soon even a necessity for luxurious evening wear. Heavy rivière necklaces and large diamond stars were primarily intended to showcase the new wealth in precious stones. However, the more this diamond fashion progressed, the more it began to be considered chic to stand out through the delicacy and sophistication of the design – all the while presenting pieces of equal costliness. In 1912, one read of the jewels of the season that fashion was moving towards "wonderful designs in diamond lace, which require so much skill and work that despite the fact that the precious stones used today are smaller than ever before, pieces of jewelry of this kind cost no less than at the time when the most massive stones were used and little attention was paid to the question of settings." The necklace presented here is just such a piece: a jewel of incomparable luxury that derives its beauty not from the mere presentation of large stones, but from their skillful integration into an artistic design. 8.90 ct of fine diamonds have been set in platinum here – yet they are subordinate to the overall design, for each diamond is set in such a way that it takes an essential place in the structure of the composition. For all its material preciousness and impressive size, the necklace retains an extremely delicate, light appearance. Hand-pierced lines, narrow platinum wires and fine millegrains give the necklace a lace-like, textile appearance, which is echoed in its shape: It is reminiscent of a lace jabot, as worn by ladies at the beginning of the century. See also a similar textile-like design from 191, published in the Parisian design book Le Bijou (see illustration). A magnificent jewel that tells of the culmination of craftsmanship and refined taste towards the end of the Belle Époque. We were able to discover it in Hamburg. It comes with an independent material appraisal. The quotation from [Anon.], 'The Season's Jewels', The Morning Leader, October 19, 1912, p. 8.

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