Victorian Star Brooch with Seed Pearls in Gold, British, c. 1890

Stars set with pearls or diamonds were popular pieces of jewellery in the second half of the 19th century. But what made the star so interesting? On the one hand, stars were an expression of the enthusiasm for the Orient at the time, with its preference for exotic and foreign cultures. On the other hand, the enthusiasm for star motifs was due to the Empress of Austria, who introduced the motif of diamond stars to Viennese society and turned them into immortal classics of jewelry history to this day. Probably the most famous portrait of Sissi, painted by Franz Xaver Winterhalter, shows the young empress with a multitude of radiant diamond stars in her flowing dark hair, which were specially made for her by the Viennese court jeweler A. E. Köchert. After this portrait was published in the press, there was no stopping the ladies of Viennese society. Every woman who could afford it wanted to come into possession of at least one precious star. This piece of jewellery shows how long this fashion lasted. It is set with 41 fine natural pearls. A large pearl shimmers in the center, surrounded by smaller ones. A small, glazed compartment on the back holds blonde hair. The star was created in Great Britain - showing that fashion was already transnational in the 19th century. Apparently, the ladies of London society, just like the ladies of the Vienna Hofburg, succumbed to the ever-renewing reputation of cosmic beauty.

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