Sunday, December 21, 2025

Ornamental

Charles Lepec
Ring, with Psyche
ca. 1870
enameled gold and diamonds
Victoria & Albert Museum, London


Carlo Giuliano
Brooch - Lovers in a Boat
ca. 1880
emeralds, sapphires, rubies, diamonds, pearls, enamel, gold
Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum

Marcus & Co. (New York)
Brooch
ca. 1900
emeralds, diamonds, pearl, gold
National Museum of American History,
Washington DC

Anonymous Jewelers
Necklace 
(colored stones are offcuts from the finishing of the Cullinan Blue Diamond)
mined in South Africa ca. 1905
blue and clear diamonds in gold
National Museum of Natural History, Washington DC

Harry Winston, Inc. (New York)
Ring, with the Blue Heart Diamond
1959
blue diamond of 31 carats
surrounded by white diamonds set in platinum
(main stone mined in South Africa ca. 1905) 
National Museum of Natural History Washington DC

Dagobert Peche
Brooch for Wiener Werkstätte
ca. 1922
gold and mother-of-pearl
Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum

Cartier, Inc. (Paris)
The Post Emerald Necklace
ca. 1928-29
baroque-cut emerald-drops, diamonds, platinum
National Museum of Natural History, Washington DC

Tiffany & Co. (New York)
Brooch, with the Hooker Emerald
1950
emerald of 75 carats, with diamonds set in platinum
(main stone sent from Colombia to Europe in the 16th century)
National Museum of Natural History, Washington DC

Schreiner Jewelry Co. (New York)
Brooch
ca. 1950-60
base metal and paste gems
Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto

Claire Falkenstein
Pendant
1960
painted copper
Dallas Museum of Art

South Africa
The Oppenheimer Diamond
mined in 1964
uncut diamond of 254 carats
National Museum of Natural History, Washington DC

Marie-Claude Lalique
Melusine Brooch
ca. 1965
diamonds, emeralds, gold
Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum

Colombia
The Gachala Emerald
mined in 1967
uncut stone of 858 carats
National Museum of Natural History, Washington DC

Albert Paley
Pendant
1973
labradorite, moonstone, jade, ivory, glass, copper, silver, gold
Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington DC

Fridl Blumenthal
Kinetic Brooch
ca. 1990
chrysoprase, pearl, gold
Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington DC

Myra Mimlitsch-Gray
Bel Canto Brooch
1997
gold and pearls
Smithsonian American Art Museum,
Washington DC

Jim Kelso
Ginkgo Brooch
2002
carved horn, moonstones, gold
Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington DC

from The Second Olympique Ode of Pindar

        Greatness of Mind and Fortune too
                The' Olympique Trophees shew.
        Both their several parts must doe
                In the noble Chase of Fame,
This without that is Blind, that without this is Lame.
Nor is fair Virtues Picture seen aright
                But in Fortunes golden light.
Riches alone are of uncertain date,
                And on short-Man long cannot wait.
                The Vertuous make of them the best,
And put them out to Fame for Interest.
                With a frail good they wisely buy
The solid Purchase of Eternity.
They whilst Lifes air they breath, consider well and know
Th' account they must hereafter give below.
Whereas th' unjust and Covetous above,
                In deep unlovely vaults,
        By the just decrees of Jove 
        Unrelenting torments prove,
The heavy Necessary effects of Voluntary Faults.

– Pindar (518-446 BC), translated by Abraham Cowley (1656)