At Richard Ogden Gold Bird Brooch ‘En Tremblent’ with turquoise stones and rubies
Oh I just had to share this brooch with you fine folks, as it is just such a sweet and beautifully made piece of jewellery, circa 1880, so a late Victorian piece. The style is referred to as En Tremblent, which obviously is French and means to tremble. The name comes from the gemstones and sections of the piece being set so that they have some beautiful movement to them. As an example, in this brooch the bird is set on a gold spring, which makes it tremble when it is moved around. The ruby in its beak is only fastened with a small bit of gold, so it gives an extra dimension of movement to the piece. It is so well made, which was also pointed out by one of the most skilled antique style jewellery craftsmen that I know here in London – he if anyone would know what quality when it comes to antique pieces!
The back of the brooch, which is just about as beautiful as the front!
They started creating en tremblent jewellery in the late 18th century, as the movement of the gemstones so cleverly caught the light and attracted the eye. They would mainly create floral sprays with the main flower en tremblent, to make it look like it was swaying in the wind. We already know that these old cut diamonds were especially stunning in candle light, as the light would be reflected across the room in the most soft and romantic manner.
Richard Ogden Gold Bird Brooch En Tremblent with turquoise and rubies
So how would you style it, since brooches are making such a wonderful comeback?
Decades of Elegance 