Featured Brooch - costume or precious?

Yep. It's one of those funny backward-acting safety catches from about 1910-1920. The smooth flat part of the catch is where it was usually marked, at least on American jewelry.

 

Have to say from photos (first thought) was it was fine jewelry.

I see the "Hertz" marking on the pin clasp, there is also a marking on the edge of the back, what does that say?

From my experience jewelers are easily convinced to look at a piece if all you want to know is whether the stones are diamonds or not. I think that is a simple question for a jeweler and might be the first thing to establish.

It is a pretty brooch.

 

Yes, it's exactly what we thought it was. It was replaced by the more reliable rollover clasp. When you close the pin & put the safety latch down, does it snap into place or just slide? If latter, it really can't be trusted.

 

The little notch on the latch snaps into place onto the hook.

The only other writing I see is what looks like the number 5527 or 3327 on the back rim.

 

Like very, very fine sand paper. Not that I've ever scratched my teeth on that!

 

Never saw that thread.
Thanks.

 

I have found that they are variable. Some are downright gritty. On others the texture is so fine, I have to test something I know is artificial to calibrate my sense for it so I can be sure.

 

This crescent brooch was popular 1900-1920 or so, as others have said. The crescent style, the clasp and the Old European cut stones are all indicators of this time frame.
The stones are all clear and lively!
It's a gorgeous antique piece.

 

Superb 1910s brooch, the diamonds are so perfects they seem fake, but I’m sure they will test real
A little bath in warm soapy water will reveal more fire and details.
Hertz is a name I saw once on an very high quality old jewelry presentation box but can find nothing on google for now about a jeweller apart Bernard Hertz...

 

I think I can tie a bow on this one now. Thanks to the help here in identifying the time period, I went back and looked at some photos and things of one of the people that time period would fit. In fact, it's someone I mentioned in another thread. I should have been paying closer attention, because here is the full picture of the clipped image of a newspaper clipping from early 1920's I had posted in that thread. That brooch in the lower left looks very familiar. I found some other photos of her wearing it as well, with the earliest dated photo being 1920, which makes it likely it was purchased in the 1910's. So, mystery solved. Our family now knows which relative this has been handed down from. Thanks everybody!

 

Great!!! This is a fantastic document, and proof the pearl was there from origin

 

@kyratango - my brain has gone. What was that fab wax you sent me?

 

Now you need to put the documentation you have together with the brooch & not assume that everyone will remember what you've learned about it. I also think it might be worth the money to have a formal appraisal, as we cannot grade the diamonds or the pearl & they look very good to me. Having an idea of monetary value may affect how you handle it next.

 

That is good advice. I am going to get tags to write info for the vintage and antique jewelry and heirlooms and attach them to each piece with string or a plastic twist tie. We're also going to have the better jewelry appraised. We're not going to sell them, but it would be good documentation to have, especially for the gems, and doesn't hurt to know value so we know what should be stored with extra care.

 

What happened to that strand of pearls she's wearing?

 

Chinese insect wax (not BEES!)
Was it useful for your project?

 

That's it! Yes, it was. Someone else was asking about it, and my brain totally lost what remains of the damn plot. Thanks honey.

 

Do the insects make the wax or is the wax made out of insects.........?

 

The insects make the wax
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_wax