Edwardian Ruby Bar Pin
An edwardian ruby bar pin offers a slender sweep of precious metal set with crimson stones, bringing quiet elegance to a lapel.
Edwardian Ruby Bar Pin
When you search for an edwardian ruby bar pin, you encounter a refined class of antique jewellery designed to fasten fabric with a horizontal line of metal and gemstones. These pieces span the early twentieth century, alongside related Victorian and Art Deco examples.
The selections on this page incorporate distinct motifs such as floral sprays, crescents, hearts, and figural subjects including insects, birds, and animals. Alongside linear bar pins, the inventory includes broader brooch formats utilising the same precious materials.
How they were made
Goldsmiths worked with various grades of precious metal, employing 9ct and 14ct gold, 18ct gold, rose gold, yellow gold, silver, and platinum. These metals provided both the structural bar and the detailed settings for the stones.
Craftsmen combined rubies with diamonds, pearls, and enamel to create textured surfaces. Setting techniques secured small melee diamonds and central rubies into intricate motifs ranging from crescent moons to floral arrangements.
Materials across these listings include ruby, diamond, pearl, silver, platinum, and gold.
What varies in quality
The distinction between tiers rests upon the choice of precious metals and the selection of stones. Combinations involving platinum and higher carat golds alongside substantial diamond weights mark the more ambitious commissions.
Design complexity also defines the piece, moving from simple geometric bars to intricate figural representations involving detailed enamel work and multiple gem varieties.
The Edwardian Ruby Bar Pin Glossary
- Bar brooch
- A horizontal pin of precious metal designed to fasten garments securely. This form provides the structural foundation for many gem-set pieces.
- Ruby
- A pink to blood-red gemstone of the mineral corundum. These stones form the primary colour focal point in the listed pieces.
- Platinum
- A dense, ductile precious metal known for its strength and bright white lustre. It often houses diamonds in delicate Edwardian settings.
- Crescent
- A moon-shaped motif popular in antique jewellery design. This curved form frequently incorporates graduated rubies and pearls.
Edwardian Ruby Bar Pin: Frequently Asked Questions
What periods do these pins come from?
The pieces span the early twentieth century, including Edwardian and Art Deco eras. Victorian and Late Victorian examples also appear in the selections.
Dates cluster around nineteen hundred to nineteen twenty, reflecting the prevailing design aesthetics of those decades.
What metals are used?
Goldsmiths utilised 9ct, 14ct, and 18ct gold in yellow and rose tones. Silver and platinum also feature prominently in the construction.
Combinations of gold and platinum frequently support the gemstone settings to provide both colour contrast and durability.
What stones accompany the rubies?
Diamonds and pearls appear alongside rubies in numerous configurations. Enamel work also supplements the gem settings on specific figural pieces.
These complementary materials enhance the visual depth of floral sprays, insects, and geometric bar designs.
How were these brooches worn?
Original owners pinned these items to lapels, collars, and heavy fabrics to secure garments. The horizontal bar format distributes weight evenly across the cloth.
Today, collectors continue to wear them as decorative dress fasteners or secure them with modern safety catch converters.