18ct gold, ruby, diamond and hardstone 'Squirrel' brooch, van Cleef & Arpels, circa 1955, modelled as a squirrel sitting on a branch eating a nut, the eye accented with a circular-cut ruby, to a brow framed with circular-cut diamonds, the stomach embellished with an oval cabochon green hardstone, approximately 1.50 in., signed van Cleef & Arpels, maker's mark and French export stamp, numbered 80157.
- Circa - A Latin term meaning 'about', often used in the antique trade to give an approximate date for the piece, usually considered to be five years on either side of the circa year. Thus, circa 1900 means the piece was made about 1900, probably between 1895 and 1905. The expression is sometimes abbreviated to c.1900.
- Cabochon Cut in Jewellery - A cabochon cut is a type of gemstone cutting where the stone is cut and polished in a convex shape with a flat bottom and a domed top, with no facets. This type of cut is typically used for opaque or translucent stones that have natural patterns or inclusions that are best displayed in this type of cut. Examples of stones that are often cut as cabochons include turquoise, opal, and moonstone.
- Hardstone - Hardstone is not a scientific name for a particular gemstone, but a word used to describe any one or more semi-precious stones used in jewellery and decorative arts, and can include jade, agate, onyx, rock crystal, amber, jet and carnelian. Softer stones and minerals such as soapstone, and alabaster and hard stones used in building such as marble or granite are generally excluded.
This item has been included into following indexes: