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Founded almost a century ago in the small village of Lathi on India's western coast, the firm of Bhagat continues its legacy of fine design and workmanship. Based in the exclusive Om Chambers in Bombay, it is currently run by Viren, the designer and his two brothers, Bharat and Rajan and continually strives to blend traditional Indian aesthetics and contemporary western influences. While the Mughal Emperors (1526-1858) believed that jewelry was a means to display opulent wealth, it is with the opposing philosophy that the firm of Bhagat communicates a sense of subdued refinement.
Indicative of traditional Indian materials, this pendant brooch utilizes table-cut diamonds, a natural pearl drop and small rubies. Until the discovery of diamonds in Brazil in 1729, India had been the historic source of diamonds and their "Golconda" mines legendary. These table-cut stones reflect the customary desire to keep diamonds in their "natural" state, many being fashioned as close to their original crystal structure as possible. Rubies symbolized the sun, which was the center of the Indian universe and pearls were prized as they required very little alteration.
Designed as a stylized poppy, it is very much in the Islamic tradition where figural representation was not permitted as it was believed to promote idolatry. The recurrent theme of foliate and foliage features prominently in paintings and the jewelers of the time took inspiration from these images.
Sleek and elegant, this brooch achieves a simple balance that exemplifies the bond between designer and jeweler. Bhagat's fresh, modern approach to design assures the admirer that the firm will be creating jewels for another one hundred years.
AN ELEGANT DIAMOND, RUBY AND NATURAL PEARL BROOCH, BY BHAGAT
Details
AN ELEGANT DIAMOND, RUBY AND NATURAL PEARL BROOCH, BY BHAGAT
Designed as a stylized Mughal poppy flowerhead, centering upon a circular-cut diamond pistil, with table-cut ruby and circular-cut diamond sepals, extending table-cut diamond leaves, suspending a drop-shaped natural pearl from a ruby bead, accented by a circular-cut diamond cap and inverted circular-cut ruby terminal, mounted in platinum (with a concealed pendant hoop)
Signed Bhagat
With certificate 11229781 dated 11 September 2000 from the Gemological Institute of America stating that the pearl is a natural pearl
Designed as a stylized Mughal poppy flowerhead, centering upon a circular-cut diamond pistil, with table-cut ruby and circular-cut diamond sepals, extending table-cut diamond leaves, suspending a drop-shaped natural pearl from a ruby bead, accented by a circular-cut diamond cap and inverted circular-cut ruby terminal, mounted in platinum (with a concealed pendant hoop)
Signed Bhagat
With certificate 11229781 dated 11 September 2000 from the Gemological Institute of America stating that the pearl is a natural pearl