Antique Diamond Sunburst Brooch

A 1.25-carat Old European cut diamond, approximately I color and SI clarity, sits at the center of this sunburst, with twelve undulating rays radiating outward — each set with old European cut diamonds for an additional 3 carats. The wavy ray construction, distinct from the straight points of earlier Georgian starbursts, is a turn-of-the-century interpretation: the platinum-topped yellow gold mounting allows the front-facing metalwork to disappear behind the stones while the gold reverse carries the structural pin. Celestial brooches reached their full commercial moment in the 1890s and 1900s, worn as hair ornaments, corsage pieces, and pendant convertibles depending on the fittings.