Antique Sapphire and Diamond Brooch Two Cabochon Sapphires of 13.37 and 13.22 Carats, Old and Rose-cut Diamonds, Silver

Two cabochon sapphires — 13.37 and 13.22 carats — anchor this circa-1890 brooch, a near-matched pair of substantial stones set among old and rose-cut diamonds in silver and gold. Cabochon cutting, favoured for sapphire throughout much of the 19th century, polishes the stone to a smooth dome rather than faceting it, prioritising colour depth and the stone's natural asterism potential over the fire a modern brilliant cut would produce — a period-accurate choice that gives this piece an entirely different character from a comparably sized faceted sapphire brooch.

Colour grade and clarity for both sapphires are available on request. Sourcing two cabochon sapphires within a tenth of a carat of each other, as this pair achieves at 13.37 and 13.22 carats, represents a genuine matching achievement for a workshop operating in 1890, when systematic grading tools did not exist and matching relied entirely on the trained eye of the jeweller assembling the piece. That near-identical weight, combined with presumably comparable colour and dome proportion, speaks to serious sourcing effort behind the brooch's original construction.

As a wearable piece, a brooch built around two substantial cabochon sapphires carries real visual weight — pinned to a lapel, the paired stones create a symmetry and presence that a single-stone design cannot replicate, while the surrounding old and rose-cut diamonds add the softer, candlelit sparkle characteristic of the period. Collectors focused on 19th-century sapphire jewellery specifically seek out cabochon-cut examples for their historical accuracy, since the shift toward faceted sapphire cutting accelerated only in later decades.

Our workshop handles this era's silver-and-gold construction with particular care, recommending gentle, specialist cleaning only, given the silver's susceptibility to tarnish and the cabochon surfaces' vulnerability to scratching compared to faceted stone. We advise periodic professional inspection of the setting security for both central stones given their combined weight. A pair matched this closely by eye alone, without the benefit of modern grading instruments, reflects a level of trained judgment increasingly rare in any craft, and collectors of 19th-century sapphire jewellery specifically prize this kind of paired cabochon work for exactly that reason.

Independent gemmological certification covering both sapphires and the diamond surround is available on request, and our specialists can discuss the circa-1890 dating and cabochon cutting tradition in detail. This brooch is entered into the Legacy register as a genuine 19th-century paired-sapphire design. Contact our client team to request documentation or arrange a viewing at your earliest convenience.

Specifications

• Metal: Gold
• Diamond / Gem weight: 13.22ct
• Cut / Shape: Cabochon
• Gemstones: Sapphire