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Old Mine-cut Diamond Maltese Cross Brooch
$21,500
Dating from the 1870s, this Maltese cross brooch is composed of silver-topped gold set with approximately 4.00 carats of old mine-cut diamonds. The brooch centers an old mine-cut diamond, weighing approximately 1.00 carat, its four flaring arms with floret terminals further bead-set with old mine-cut diamonds, approximate total weight 3.04 carats, within a dark patinated silver-topped gold mount. This hard-to-find classic jewel with its dramatic dark mounting sparkles and scintillates with a white and spectral radiance.
- Product Details
- Curator's Notes
Item #: BO-21040
Circa: 1870s
Dimensions: 2.00" length x 2.00" width
Materials: 1 old mine-cut diamond (weighing approximately 1.00 carats); 132 old mine-cut diamonds (approximate total weight 3.04 carats); Silver-topped 14K Gold
The Maltese Cross has been closely associated with charitable orders over the centuries, beginning with the "Knights Hospitaller", who established the Amalfitan hospital in Jerusalem, and took up arms only to defend those in their care. Their motto was 'For Faith and For Service to Humankind." The eight points represent the Beatitudes expressed by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount. These are loyalty, piety, honesty, courage, honor, glory, contempt for death, solidarity with the poor and sick, and respect for the faith. The Maltese Cross has been adopted as a symbol by many charitable causes over the centuries, including firefighters and others willing to lay down their lives in service of others.