A fine and characterful Edwardian stickpin in 15ct gold, c.1910, modelled as a cockerel set with old-cut diamonds totalling an estimated 0.3 carats in silver, with a red enamel comb adding a vivid accent of colour. The cockerel — the coq gaulois, or Gallic rooster — has been a symbol of France since antiquity, and its appearance in Edwardian jewellery reflects the strong cultural exchange between Britain and France during the Belle Époque. The silver-on-gold construction is characteristic of the period, when silver was the preferred setting metal for diamonds before platinum became widely available. The red enamel comb is a particularly fine detail, the contrast of the vivid red against the white diamonds and yellow gold giving the piece a bold, graphic quality. Tests as 15ct gold and silver. Head 1.5 × 1.1cm; pin length 5.8cm.

The Details

• Circa: 1910
• Head dimensions: 1.5 × 1.1cm
• Pin length: 5.8cm
• Estimated total diamond weight: 0.3 carats (old-cut, silver set)
• Hallmarks: Tests as 15ct gold and silver
• Enamel: Red (comb)