Antique Vintage Art Deco 18k Yellow Gold Chinese Green Nephrite MENS Cufflinks

Description

We have similar Deco
and
Chinese
items, which would pair nicely with this piece, up for auction this week. To view in a separate listing, please visit our store and search "Deco"
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Item Description by: Dayna M.
The Piece
Auction Estimate:
,000 - ,000
Age Circa:
Art Deco C. 1920 - 1940
Markings:
Unknown pictorial markers mark on the back of the cufflinks faces, tested, and guaranteed
Country of Origin:
China
Brand:
Unknown
Gram Weight:
31.1 grams
Metal Type:
18k yellow gold
Item Weight Value:
,345.00 (value all-inclusive weight)
Material:
--
Main Stone:
Nephrite
Main Stone Measurements/Color:
Carat weight:
approximately 37.54 carats total
Length
:
11.48 mm
Width:
20.98 mm
Depth:
9.62 mm
Color:
semi-translucent with lighter and darker green hues
Accent Stone:
--
Accent Stone Measurements/Color:
--
Stone Treatment:
The stone(s) appear to be untreated, but we are not certified gemologists. Stone(s) have been tested and guaranteed using a professional Presidium Duo refractive, heat, and hardness tester.
Stone Cuts:
Carved and polished cabochon
Item Measurements:
Total length:
0.63"
Total width:
0.82"
Convertible to Earrings:
If desired, your local jeweler can convert these cufflink into a pair of earrings by adding an earring backing style of your preference.
Notable Features:
These cufflinks were handmade during the Art Deco era. Composed of 18k yellow gold, the cufflinks feature beautiful nephrite stones. The flawless carving of the nephrite stones is a stunning example of the expertise of Chinese stone cutters, who were revered for their meticulous and detailed work with a variety of stones. Since the Victorian era, wealthy Europeans had been custom ordering jewelry from China as Chinese jewelers were considered some of the best in the world. The process of ordering, making, and receiving a Chinese export piece could take months at a time, so pieces like these cufflinks were costly and highly desirable.
Each cufflink contains two beautiful nephrite stones, each with a semi-translucent dark green with lighter green hues throughout. Each stone was expertly carved with smooth and polished edges to display these hues beautifully. The nephrite rests securely in yellow gold bezel settings and has two golden hoops interlocking each other, keeping the stone secure and giving the cufflinks a beautiful design. The vibrant hue of the yellow gold contrasts strikingly with the green hues of the nephrite.
18k yellow gold posts and securing bars complete these cufflinks. If desired, your local jeweler can remove the cufflink backings and add an earring backing style of the wearer's preference. The generous amount of 18k yellow gold gives the cufflinks an impressive item weight value of 45. A classic example of Chinese export jewelry from the Art Deco era, these cufflinks would make a valuable addition to any antique jewelry collection. Don't miss your chance to preserve this piece of cultural history.
Damage:
Age appropriate wear.
*This listing is for the item only. All display boxes and/or photography props do not come with your purchase.*
The History
The Art Deco era is famous for being the "Gatsby" or "Roaring Twenties" era. A lot of gorgeous and timeless designs in jewelry came out of this period. Jewelry from this period was most often crafted between 1920 and 1940. Art Deco jewelry sometimes featured white gold or platinum, geometric designs, European cut diamonds, filigree, and calibre cut stones that are specially cut to fit the design of the piece. During the Art Deco period jewelers often made jewelry upon custom order, this would usually take weeks to months to completely craft by hand.
Chinese export jewelry became popular during the late Victorian period and persisted until the 1960s. During this period, Chinese craftsmen were considered by far the best in the world. The rich and wealthy would custom-order a piece through their local jeweler, who would send the design off to China to be made and sent back to Europe. This lengthy process was very expensive, making Chinese export pieces highly desirable, then and now.
Chinese stone cutters were considered some of the finest artisans in the world. They would spend years learning to hand-carve many different types of stones and excelled in creating finely detailed pieces other artisans couldn’t even hope to compare to. Their skill was so refined that they could even carve delicate stones like coral and jade. Chinese stone cutters were so talented that Victorian era European socialites would commission pieces from them, preferring the hefty price tag that came with such high-quality work to the ready availability of Western stonework.
Jade is one of the oldest and most important gemstones, with a history dating over 7,000 years. Nephrite is more common than jadeite and although it is slightly softer than jadeite, it is considered tougher due to its denser structure. Nephrite was derived from the Greek word for kidney because it was thought that it could cure kidney disease. Up until around 1863, Nephrite was believed to be the same as Jadeite. Nephrite can be distinguished from Jadeite from its lower level of translucency and luster. Traditional Chinese jade typically refers to nephrite since there are no actual jadeite deposits located in China. Nephrite jade was used mostly in pre-1800 China, and is rare to see today. Green nephrite is considered the most valuable nephrite, but translucent, white nephrite was considered the most valuable up until the introduction of fine Imperial jadeite jade during the 18th century.
Domestic US
: All items ship within one business day of receiving payment. Buyers will have 3 base shipping options to choose from, depending on the needed speed of delivery. Pricing on single and multi-purchase transactions can be seen below:
Auction Items:
Base shipping + .00 per additional gold item & BIN items combine for free
BIN Items:
FREE
Base Shipping:
USPS
First Class
: .00 fully insured, estimated 3-5 business days
USPS
Priority Mail
: .00 fully insured, estimated 2-3 business days
USPS
Priority Express
: .00 fully insured, overnight delivery
International
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