Silver-topped Gold, Emerald, Ruby and Diamond Brooch | Designed As an En Tremblant Butterfly, the Wings Featuring Pear-s
At a glance
Shape
Emerald Cut, Pear Shape
Carat
6.2ct
Colour
On Request
Clarity
On Request
Metal
18K
The en tremblant mechanism is one of jewellery's oldest tricks of animation — a trembling mount that lets a piece move with the wearer rather than sit inert against fabric, and here it is put to ideal use. Designed as a butterfly, the wings are set with pear-shaped emeralds and rubies weighing a total of approximately 6.20 carats, arranged so that every shift of the body sends a flicker of green and red light across the wings' surface. The construction is silver-topped 18 karat gold, a technique period craftsmen relied on because silver holds coloured stones' brilliance with exceptional clarity while the gold beneath protects the wearer's skin and the piece's structure. The brooch measures 2⅝ by 1⅝ inches, a scale substantial enough to command real presence on a lapel or gown.
We disclose, as a matter of transparency rather than concealment, that one small diamond accent is recorded as missing from the original construction — the kind of honest condition note that distinguishes a piece with genuine history from a reproduction. Rather than diminishing the brooch, it is part of what confirms its age and authenticity; en tremblant butterflies of this construction were largely a nineteenth and early twentieth-century specialty, and their surviving examples carry exactly this kind of honest wear.
Styling a piece like this rewards restraint elsewhere — let the trembling wings do the work, whether pinned to a solid evening gown or the lapel of a tailored jacket where its movement will be most visible against a stationary fabric. Carat weight for the individual stones, metal purity confirmation, and colour grading are available on request.
Independent certification can be arranged for serious inquiries, and our specialists are well versed in period silver-topped gold construction and happy to walk through what to expect from a piece of this era. Housed under the Legacy name, this brooch has been examined and its condition fully documented ahead of offer.
Clients acquiring period en tremblant pieces often ask how the trembling mechanism has held up structurally over the decades, and our specialists inspect the mount's tension and movement thoroughly before any piece enters our collection. We are pleased to demonstrate the wing movement directly during a private viewing, since photographs alone rarely do justice to how the piece behaves in motion.
Antique en tremblant pieces of this quality surface infrequently. If the butterfly's movement and history interest you, we welcome a private conversation about viewing it in person.
Specifications
- Metal: 18K
- Form: Spray
- Diamond / Gem weight: 6.2ct
- Cut / Shape: Emerald Cut, Pear Shape
- Gemstones: Emerald, Ruby
- Carat Weight
- 6.2ct
- Shape
- Emerald Cut, Pear Shape
- Color
- On Request
- Clarity
- On Request
- Metal
- 18K
- Certification
- GIA / IGI / HRD on request
- Treatment
- None · Natural
- Reference Number
- LD-BR-0307
Brink's Global insured worldwide delivery — every Legacy acquisition ships door-to-door through Brink's secure network, fully insured, in discreet neutral packaging.
White-glove delivery — for qualifying pieces, our concierge arranges in-person delivery to your residence or private office.
3-day exclusive hold — your reservation holds the piece privately for 3 days, fully refundable.
Independently certified — to your choice of GIA, IGI or HRD on request; documents shared privately with verified acquirers.
Authentication guarantee — if any piece does not match its stated specifications, full money-back refund.
Care — a soak in warm water with mild soap restores light return; have the prongs inspected annually.
In full — nothing hidden
Most listings hide the writing. We don't — this is the work, in full.
The en tremblant mechanism is one of jewellery's oldest tricks of animation — a trembling mount that lets a piece move with the wearer rather than sit inert against fabric, and here it is put to ideal use. Designed as a butterfly, the wings are set with pear-shaped emeralds and rubies weighing a total of approximately 6.20 carats, arranged so that every shift of the body sends a flicker of green and red light across the wings' surface. The construction is silver-topped 18 karat gold, a technique period craftsmen relied on because silver holds coloured stones' brilliance with exceptional clarity while the gold beneath protects the wearer's skin and the piece's structure. The brooch measures 2⅝ by 1⅝ inches, a scale substantial enough to command real presence on a lapel or gown.
We disclose, as a matter of transparency rather than concealment, that one small diamond accent is recorded as missing from the original construction — the kind of honest condition note that distinguishes a piece with genuine history from a reproduction. Rather than diminishing the brooch, it is part of what confirms its age and authenticity; en tremblant butterflies of this construction were largely a nineteenth and early twentieth-century specialty, and their surviving examples carry exactly this kind of honest wear.
Styling a piece like this rewards restraint elsewhere — let the trembling wings do the work, whether pinned to a solid evening gown or the lapel of a tailored jacket where its movement will be most visible against a stationary fabric. Carat weight for the individual stones, metal purity confirmation, and colour grading are available on request.
Independent certification can be arranged for serious inquiries, and our specialists are well versed in period silver-topped gold construction and happy to walk through what to expect from a piece of this era. Housed under the Legacy name, this brooch has been examined and its condition fully documented ahead of offer.
Clients acquiring period en tremblant pieces often ask how the trembling mechanism has held up structurally over the decades, and our specialists inspect the mount's tension and movement thoroughly before any piece enters our collection. We are pleased to demonstrate the wing movement directly during a private viewing, since photographs alone rarely do justice to how the piece behaves in motion.
Antique en tremblant pieces of this quality surface infrequently. If the butterfly's movement and history interest you, we welcome a private conversation about viewing it in person.
Specifications
- Metal: 18K
- Form: Spray
- Diamond / Gem weight: 6.2ct
- Cut / Shape: Emerald Cut, Pear Shape
- Gemstones: Emerald, Ruby
Hugh Ashbrook
- 1 EXPLORE Browse the collection
- 2 EXPRESS INTEREST Wishlist · Offer · Chat
- 3 PRIVATE GALLERY Your Private Viewing Room
- 4 RESERVE 3-day exclusive hold
- 5 DELIVERED Brinks · White-glove
Get a private alert when new arrivals match Brooches. Sent only when our specialists source a piece worth your attention. No newsletter.
Receive a private catalogue, curated for you
Enter your email to receive personally-selected pieces matching your interests — curated by your dedicated specialist, sent privately, never published. No newsletter, no marketing.
