Gold Bow Brooch
These gold bow brooch examples combine ribbon-tied forms with precious gems, offering a wearable piece of Victorian, Edwardian and later craft.
Gold Bow Brooch
A gold bow brooch takes the form of a tied ribbon, often decorated with stones such as diamond, pearl, turquoise, sapphire or garnet. These pieces emerge from periods including Victorian, Edwardian, and Art Deco, spanning years from the nineteenth century into the twentieth.
You will most frequently meet designs fashioned in yellow gold, sometimes paired with silver settings or platinum, featuring central gemstone drops, heart motifs, or pendant conversions. The form ranges from simple collar pins to large, diamond-set ribbon brooches that also function as pendants.
How they were made
Maker techniques rely on shaping gold, silver, and platinum into delicate ribbon loops and knots. Gems are secured using claw, bezel, or old cut stone settings.
Materials span 14ct and 15ct up to 18ct yellow gold, alongside platinum and silver-topped gold. Natural pearls, turquoise cabochons, garnets, sapphires, and diamonds are integrated into the precious metal framework.
What varies in quality
Quality rests in the precision of the ribbon work and the matching of the stones, such as calibrated sapphires or well-matched old cut diamonds. Finer examples show detailed wirework, clean gemstone integration, and sturdy pin mechanisms.
The choice of materials also divides the range, moving from simpler gold and turquoise pins to substantial multi-carat diamond and sapphire pieces set in platinum and 18ct gold.
The Gold Bow Brooch Glossary
- Cabochon
- A gemstone shaped and polished with a smooth, rounded surface rather than faceted. This style is often seen on turquoise and garnet stones in older pieces.
- Old cut
- A diamond cutting style from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries featuring a small table, high crown, and large culet. These stones display a distinctive soft candlelit sparkle.
- Pendant brooch
- A convertible piece of jewellery fitted with both a pin for wearing on clothing and a loop for suspension on a chain. This dual function is common in ribbon and bow designs.
- Collar brooch
- A smaller pin traditionally used to fasten or accent a high collar. These items often feature linear or delicate bow motifs.
Gold Bow Brooch: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I wear a gold bow brooch?
Pin the piece securely to the lapel of a jacket, the centre of a neckline, or use the integrated loop to hang it from a chain as a pendant.
The sturdy pin mechanisms on these jewels allow them to sit flat against heavy fabrics or delicate silks alike.
Are these brooches also pendants?
Several examples feature hidden or visible loops at the reverse, allowing the item to transform from a clothing pin into a neck pendant.
This convertible design was popular across the Victorian and Edwardian periods for versatile day and evening wear.
What stones are used in these bows?
Common gemstones include diamonds, seed pearls, turquoise cabochons, deep red garnets, and blue sapphires set in yellow gold or silver-topped gold.
Art Deco and later pieces frequently substitute platinum for silver alongside substantial diamond weights.
How do I date a bow brooch?
Examine the metal combinations, such as silver-topped gold for nineteenth-century pieces, and look for characteristic gemstone cuts like old mine or old European diamonds.
Design motifs also offer clues, moving from elaborate Victorian garnet clusters to symmetrical Edwardian diamond work and geometric Art Deco styling.