AN EXQUISITE INVISIBLY-SET SAPPHIRE AND DIAMOND DOUBLE FLOWER BROOCH, BY VAN CLEEF & ARPELS
One flower invisibly-set with calibré-cut sapphires and pavé-set with diamonds, with marquise-cut diamond leaves to the calibré-cut sapphire stem; and the other, set with baguette-cut diamonds and invisibly-set with calibré-cut sapphires, with marquise-cut diamond leaves to the baguette-cut diamond stem, mounted in platinum
Signed by Van Cleef & Arpels, No. N.Y. 34435
During the 1930s, designers at Van Cleef & Arpels created innovative jewelry, both in design and craftsmanship. Perhaps their most ingenious style of jewelry developed during this period was made in serti invisible (invisible setting), invented in 1935. In this technique, stones were set with no visible supporting mounting. To achieve this magic-like appearance, each stone was given four additional facets and then, slid into special slots or grooves. Normally, stones were square but could be cut in a number of geometrical shapes to fill spaces or conform to curves. In the resulting effect, the surface of a piece of jewelry would reflect light similar to a mirror and, when held up to the light, gave the appearance of a stained glass window. For its sheer beauty and superb workmanship, the illustrated double flower brooch ranks among the best designs in this technique. Invisibly set sapphires line the inside of one flower and outside of the other; the contrasting interior and exterior with either circular or baguette-cut diamonds. Marquise-cut diamonds form leaves while the stems are created with baquette-cut diamonds and calibrè-cut sapphires.