A charming and animated pair of 18ct gold cufflinks, c.1930, each modelled as a frog crouching on a lilypad, set with a small old-cut diamond in a platinum collet. The frog on a lilypad is a subject with roots in the naturalistic tradition of Art Nouveau jewellery, where the organic forms of the natural world — insects, amphibians, water plants — were elevated to the status of fine jewellery subjects; by 1930 the treatment of such motifs had become more compact and stylised, reflecting the influence of Art Deco. The combination of 18ct gold for the frog and lilypad with a platinum collet for the diamond setting is characteristic of the period, when platinum was the preferred metal for stone settings. Chain fittings with torpedo backs. Unhallmarked; tests as 18ct gold. Diameter 1.4cm; weight 9.2g.

The Details

• Circa: 1930
• Weight: 9.2g
• Diameter: 1.4cm
• Hallmarks: Unhallmarked; tests as 18ct gold
• Stones: Old-cut diamonds in platinum collets (one per link)
• Fitting: Chain with torpedo backs