20k Peranakan Kerosang Antique Diamond Brooches Pins
1930s 20k solid gold brooch pins in the Straits Chinese Peranakan set of three.
This is a very petite ‘kerosang’ (traditional pins used in place of buttons on button-less blousons). We usually collect bigger sets but this trio is charming in its rarer small form, the pins are only about 3cm each.
The goldwork on this set however small is very solid, the diamonds are hand cut and clean. Such diamonds form the early version of rose cut diamonds.
Each brooch pin is a bouquet or more accurately a single stalk. The sparsely applied diamonds stand out on its thick gold, not spindly. Can you imagine even the rather ornate interlinked chains are hand forged oval by oval?
Such pins are removable from their chains so you may style individual pins separately. A neck scarf can use two pins with one more on a blouse, etc.
Historically, these pins were also used as hair jewellery, clipped at the fringe or around the hair bun.
While there are many kerosang sets from history, the well made, well sized sets are clearly distinguished from the more typical or busier motifs.
Each pin measures a very dainty 3cm tall and 1.5cm wide. This set is one of the smallest kerosang brooches around and this is its charm!