This extraordinary platinum charm bracelet is from the Edwardian era and has all its original charms, making it a very special piece. Nine diamond-encrusted charms are suspended from a paperclip-like chain—each charm more unique than the next. The workmanship that went into making this bracelet is not often seen in today’s craftsmanship. Each charm is handmade and masterfully encrusted with diamonds of various sizes, all carefully selected like puzzle pieces and artfully jam-packed to fill the surface of the charm. It is rare to find a bracelet like this that has not been broken up into individual charms—a true tribute to a bygone era.
The first charm on the bracelet captures a horse and jockey in a galloping stride. It is encrusted with 33 single cut diamonds that range in size from 1 - 2 mm. The horse has delicate hand-engraved details that bring it to life.
Next is a disc-shaped boat charm, with an engraved sun-ray pattern. A sailboat sits in the middle of the charm, its hull and sails encrusted with 12 single cut diamonds. The engraved sun rays have beautiful light play that spirals with the charm’s movement. The back of the charm has engine-turn work with repeating concentric circles.
Following the boat is a disc of the same shape—this one with a scaredy cat in the center. The cat has an arched back and stares up at you with yellow-gold eyes. The cat’s body is encrusted with 19 single cut diamonds. The mouth and ears have been carved out to give the cat more features. Like the boat disc, this charm features a cascading sun-ray pattern on the front and concentric circles on the back.
A hunting dog charm in the pointer position has a ruby eye, a sweet carved out face, and detailed fur-like features. This charm contains 42 bead set Old Mine Cut diamonds. It is rare to see a selection of so many Old Mine Cut diamonds, giving this charm a special element.
The next two charms feature animals in profile, surrounded by a border that outlines each charm, and decorated with milgrain work. The first is an elephant in an oval mount. The elephant has a ruby eye and a decorative line of five French cut rubies around his middle. It is encrusted with 30 bead set Rose Cut diamonds.
The second is a pheasant charm in a circular mount. The pheasant has a ruby eye and three caliber cut emeralds as a breast decoration. The bird has a raised foot and feathers that swoop over the border of the charm. The bird is outlined with milgrain and encrusted with 24 Rose Cut diamonds of various sizes to intricately fill the charm. The large circular border adds space to the charm and balances the bird’s long sweeping tail.
A champagne bottle and glasses brings a celebratory element to the bracelet—perhaps, along with the next charm, suggesting a New Year’s Eve party. The bottle has two adorable star cut outs and a diagonal banner. It is encrusted with Rose Cuts and a single cut diamond as the cork. We love the milgrain around the border and the tight work of this charm.
Perhaps the most impressive of the charms is the year 1913, delicately encrusted with the tiniest of Rose Cuts. The charm has 79 diamonds, bead set and surrounded by milgrain. The rows of diamonds shimmer like lights and dangle from the bracelet like a festive banner. On the back of the charm, each diamond placement is carved out so that the diamonds are visible from both sides. This charm is truly stunning and sparkling no matter which angle it is viewed from.
The final charm is the profile of a horse’s head and contains 30 Old Mine Cut diamonds of various sizes to fit the form. It has a ruby eye, a nice round diamond for its nostril, and a bridal outlined in yellow gold to pop against the platinum.
The bracelet is 7” and weighs 24.4 grams. It has a spring ring clasp with the mark for platinum. The charms acid test as platinum. Of the various cuts of diamonds—Old Mine Cut, Old European Cut, and Rose Cut—the bracelet contains approximately 2 carats.
We love this piece, as it so beautifully captures the spirit of the Edwardian era, maybe even telling the story of the New Year’s Eve of 1913, and evoking a sense of wonder with its mesmerizing sparkle.
