20ct Old European Cut Diamond Jewelry, Peranakan Brooch Kerongsang
18k Straits Chinese three-piece ‘kerosang’ brooch pins set with Old European Cut diamonds weighing 20 carats.
A complete ‘kerosang’ is made up of three pins that are linked by two short chains. Depending on attire, the pins are worn as a set or as a single brooch.
This is a book piece for many reasons. It was handmade in the 1990s by one of the last craftsmen of an earlier era. The set has been displayed for exhibitions but never available for sale.
The deer or ‘lu’ is a symbol for status. The origins may be phonetic but throughout Chinese art the deer is depicted with court officials, signifying a wish for fame and recognition over the journey of a long career. The phonetic for road (journey) is also ‘lu’.
In this sense, both in size and meaning, there is a stateliness in this heirloom set of ‘kerosang’ brooch pins.
The Old Euro diamonds are completely clean and fiery, another indication that a piece like this is very early or very recent.
This set was commissioned by a single young goldsmith (in those days).
He hustled in his day ‘pawnshop’ job and saved enough in his hobby to see this into existence. He came into fortune of a big lot of Old European cut diamonds and knew he had to put them back into something that will go forth in history.
The working man’s history in the make of this set justifies its lavishness. Its existence as a modern make in modern times continues the Straits Chinese Peranakan legacy of working old diamonds into ornate filigree. This came about as early as the 19th century, lesser when knowledgeable craftsmen became increasingly out of reach.
Obviously, the more recent a lavish piece like this is made, the more unaffordable it becomes. Yet when you really look, you realise there are few very high quality pieces with very high quality diamonds. If a piece like this was not made in recent times, it will not exist.
We have heard that safekeeping a new ‘old’ piece for 20 years is a must, before it can be considered a legacy, in both provenance, and forecast.
Historically, a kerosang set is passed down in the family with each brooch going to one child. These separate pieces come together as a set again, at a time in the future, when the time calls for it. Sometimes one gets a set that contains three different brooches, these are the ties that clip, passed down so naturally.
We also discovered that for each pin that spans 5cm, and feels indeed that big in the hand, the set when worn comes together organically; the jewellery does not overwhelm the wearer.
Each brooch has 6.82ctw of diamonds.
In all, the set has 222 Old European cut diamonds weighing 20.46ctw, and 70.81 grams.