A wonderfully characterful brooch by Cartier London, hallmarked 1983 with maker's mark JC for Jacques Cartier — a fully authenticated piece from one of the world's most celebrated jewellery houses. The design takes the form of a tennis racket: the handle in 9ct yellow gold with ornate engraving, small diamond accents set just below the head, the strings rendered in delicate white gold, and a lustrous Tahitian pearl poised as the ball at the moment of impact. It is the kind of witty, imaginative design that Cartier has always excelled at — a piece that is simultaneously a work of fine jewellery and a knowing wink to the sporting life.

Cartier's sporting brooches of the 1970s and 1980s are among the most sought-after pieces in the secondary market, prized by collectors for their playful ingenuity and the quality of their execution. At 6.2cm in length and 5.1g, this is a brooch of elegant scale. A signed piece by the world's most famous jeweller — and a genuinely joyful one.

The Details

• Maker: Cartier London (hallmarked JC, London 1983)
• Circa: 1983
• Metal: 9ct yellow gold frame & handle; white gold strings
• Stones: Diamond accents (below head); Tahitian pearl (the ball)
• Weight: 5.1g
• Dimensions: 6.2 × 1.8cm