Important gem set and diamond bracelet, 1930s. Photo courtesy Sotheby's.

Designed as a wide band centring on a marquise-shaped diamond weighing 9.38 carats, framed with a pair of black enamelled trees decorated with carved emerald, ruby and sapphire leaves, accented with circular-cut diamonds of yellow tint and cabochon rubies, and pavé-set throughout with near colourless circular- and single-cut diamonds, length approximately 185mm, accompanied by additional chain allowing to be worn as a choker, length approximately 145mm. Estimate:  230,000 – 365,000 CHF

FROM THE ESTATE OF THE LATE GUNTHER SACHS

Rubies, sapphires and emeralds carved in the shape of fruit, flowers, berries and birds made their appearance in Western jewellery around 1913 in a series of designs by Cartier’s brilliant designer Charles Jacqueau. These early sketches of pendants and brooches representing bowls of carved fruits and leafage and birds drinking from water fountains surrounded by flowers and foliage, are the predecessors of the hugely popular late 1920’s Cartier multi-coloured gemstones jewels that in recent years have become known  as ‘Tutti Frutti’. The carving of the precious stones into organic shapes was almost certainly done for Cartier in India although gems carved in this way were not used in traditional Indian jewellery. Cartier, however, often used them in designs of Indian inspiration such as the celebrated ‘Collier Hindou’ created in 1936 for heiress and socialite Daisy Fellowes and sold at Sotheby’s in Geneva in May 1991. In the late 1920’s and early 1930’s Cartier excelled in the creation of sumptuous bracelets designed as wide bands of undulating branches of leaves and berries, mounted with carved stoned and gem beads studded with diamonds and highlighted with onyx or black enamel. The style was widely popular both sides of the Atlantic and many of the famous jewellery maisons of the time such as Mauboussin, Mellerio dits Meller, Ostertag, Van Cleef & Arpels and Yard produced an array of multi-coloured carved gemstones bracelets, bracelets, watches, brooches, clips and double clips.

Sotheby's. Magnificent Jewels. Genève | 13 nov. 2013 - http://www.sothebys.com