Gübelin (Swiss, est. 1854), Brooch, 1970s, white gold, kunzite, diamonds

Audio Description

Made by Swiss jewelry house Gübelin, this brooch was designed and manufactured in the 1970s. Gübelin was established in 1854.

This brooch has an central oblong, faceted gem that is purple and set horizontally. It is surrounded by a spider-like web of faceted diamonds of varying sizes. The web is slightly off-center.

Label Copy

Made by Swiss jewelry house Gübelin, this brooch was designed and manufactured in the 1970s. Gübelin was established in 1854.

Originally a watchmaking firm, Gübelin integrated fine jewelry into its offerings in the 1920s, emphasizing luxury goods. It is not surprising then that the focus of this brooch is a traditionally faceted gem. A relative newcomer, this stone is kunzite, named for George Frederick Kunz, the Tiffany & Co. mineralogist who identified the gem in 1902. Large kunzite stones are often used in jewelry as they commonly lack inclusions or flaws, as evident here. Surrounded by faceted, prong-set diamonds, this brooch is lady-like but with a twist. Like a spider’s web, the diamond surround is not quite symmetrical, and the center stone sits askew.

Although Gübelin concentrated on traditional jewelry, they argued that their designs were not conventional or old-fashioned but imaginative and creative. To this point, they often incorporated unusual materials, and, in 1973, the house created a collection of unisex watches that boasted sculptural forms and geometrically shaped faces.

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