1900s gold bracelet set with hand cut diamonds in 20k.

This is a Strait Chinese Peranakan bracelet, and it is an early piece, featuring diamonds that are an earlier version of rose cut diamonds.

Apart from their initial time periods, the easy difference between a hand cut diamond and a rose cut diamond is the more random facets of a hand cut diamond.

Hence this bracelet allows us to appreciate the genuine organic beauty of diamonds that are really just polished ‘raw’ diamonds. Rose cut diamonds would have more ‘squarish’ facets, like the centre of a sunflower, or a bee’s eye!

It is increasingly hard to get these raw hand cut diamonds in authentic Straits Chinese jewelry in this region (Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia). And when we do find some, few and far feature consistently clean, white diamonds as this bracelet. Many times the pieces may be authentic, but the diamonds are semi-grey or have little fire.

It is worthy to point out that the Straits Chinese, perhaps like their Southern Chinese ancestors, loved their gold, more than their diamonds. The Straits Malays too loved their gold, so much so that while many zealous pieces of Straits Peranakan jewelry were in high karat gold (20k to 24k), the gems on these very solid gold pieces were synthetic and not natural! It was as if gold was supreme over any gems.

The implication of this zealous attitude towards gold is we now have many pieces of solid gold jewelry set with precious gems that are not all quality pieces (in terms of the accompanying stones). This is NOT one such piece, and this is very old and very well made, AND very well kept!

Like most Peranakan link bracelets, this has a three-part centrepiece which articulates, joined by individual articulating links in the chain.

This is a dainty piece, at 6.75″ long. The simplicity of this bracelet is also indicative of its earlier origins, its non-ornate slender structure so lovely, atypical even amongst its own. If you can imagine the difference in the shine of organic diamonds versus brilliant diamonds, you will appreciate the gentle beauty of this diamond bracelet.