Retro Fluted Bow Brooch with Diamonds in 18K Two-Tone Gold, circa 1940s

A generously scaled Retro brooch modeled as a bow, its two fanned loops deeply fluted in 18K yellow gold so that light runs the length of each rib as the piece moves. Seven navette-shaped panels in white gold, pavé-set with 21 brilliant-cut diamonds totaling 0.75 carats with G color and VS-1 clarity, punctuate the fan tips and the central knot.

The bow was one of the defining motifs of 1940s Retro jewelry, when designers turned to ribbons, scrolls and folded forms rendered in warm gold at a deliberately architectural scale. This example is a full 56 millimeters across and can be worn at the shoulder or the neckline it reads as a single bold gesture rather than an accent.

Fitted to the reverse with a double pin and rolling safety catch. The white gold settings lift the diamonds clear of the yellow ground, giving them presence against a piece that is otherwise all warm metal and weighing 16 grams.