Photo Credit: okeyssecretroom
1920s Tourmaline & Platinum Art Deco Stick Pin
Buy It Now Price: $595 (price as of 2018; item no longer available)
Pros:
-Here is a magnificent platinum and 18 karat yellow gold Art Deco stick pin from the 1920s. It is set with a trillion-cut, green tourmaline gemstone and an old European cut diamond.
-This Art Deco stickpin measures approximately 2.5 inches (63.5 mm) long by 0.4 inches (10 mm) wide. The piece weighs 2.2 grams in total, or approximately 0.071 troy ounces.
-Stick pins were popular from the late 18th century up through the 1920s. A woman would wear one on her scarf or lapel. A man would use a stick pin to hold his tie in place, giving rise to the jewelry’s alternative name – tie pin. While they are not currently mainstream, there is no reason a fashion-forward man or woman couldn’t wear a stickpin today to achieve a distinctive and unique look.
-The combination of a platinum front and karat gold back is typical for 1920s jewelry, where the white look was very much in vogue. These high intrinsic value precious metals are also indicative of an exemplary piece. This is confirmed by examining the goldwork, which although relatively simple, is also superlatively wrought.
-The very unusual trillion (triangular) cut green tourmaline set in this Art Deco stick pin weighs an estimated 1 carat. At the time this piece of jewelry was created, a trillion-cut gem would have been considered a custom-cut, and would have been significantly more expensive than a similarly-sized, standard-cut stone.
-The old European cut diamond set below the tourmaline weighs an estimated 0.05 carats and is a wonderful accent piece that sets off the main stone. Although it doesn’t have a high intrinsic value, the accent diamond indicates that the jeweler who created this Art Deco stick pin wasn’t skimping on materials or cost.
-Although it is a rather simple design, the aesthetics of this Art Deco stick pin are flawless. Sometimes the best jewelry is a piece that achieves elegance with a minimum of ostentation.
Cons:
-At $595, the asking price of this Art Deco stick pin is close to the top of the range for antique stick pin jewelry. However, some of my greatest antique investing mistakes involved refusing to pay up for outstanding quality. So given my experience, I think this Art Deco stick pin is a superlative piece that justifies its price.
-The intrinsic value of this Art Deco stick pin is rather modest. The green, trillion-cut tourmaline is probably the most valuable part, with a value close to $100. The old European cut accent diamond is probably only a $10 to $20 stone. Although difficult to calculate exactly, the melt value of the gold and platinum is most likely between $50 and $70. In total, the stickpin has an estimated intrinsic value of no more than $200. However, you don’t buy an exquisite piece of Art Deco jewelry like this in order to scrap it.
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