TIFFANY & CO. 1978 Angela Cummings Black Opal & Black Jade 18Kt Gold Bracelet
Geometric bangle-bracelet designed by Angela Cummings for Tiffany & Co.
This is a very rare bangle-bracelet created by Angela Cummings for Tiffany & Co. back in 1978-79. The fabulous modernist bracelet was crafted in solid yellow gold of 18 karats with high polish finish and is embellished by a gorgeous checkerboard design, composed by inlaid settings of seventy-five squared elements carved from black jade and Australian black opals. The bracelet is fitted with a concealed three barrels hinge; a discrete push boxed lock and a safety sliding bar.
Australian Black Opals
These kinds of opals are the most valuable and widely known type of opal. Black opal is characterized by a dark body tone which can range from dark grey, blue, green to jet black. Unlike ordinary opals, black opals have carbon and iron oxide trace elements present, which cause the unusual darkness of the stone. Because of their dark body tone, the rainbow colors in a black opal stand out much better than lighter opals. This vibrancy of colour makes black opal the most valuable form of all opals. Black opals are mostly mined in Lightning Ridge, in northern New South Wales. Lightning Ridge is famous for the black opal and hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of black opals have been found there. In 2008, the black opal was named as the ‘gemstone emblem’ for New South Wales. Black opals have also been found at Mint Abie in South Australia.
Black Jade: Mounted in inlaid settings, with 56 well matched squared cuts of natural black jade, with a weight of about 33.60 carats.
Black Opal: Mounted in inlaid settings, with 19 well matched squared cuts of natural Australian black opals, with a weight of about 8.75 carats.
Birthstone: Opal for the month of October and Jade for March.
Weight: 48.25 Grams, (30.95 Dwt.).
Size: Fit a wrist up to 7 Inches (18 Cm).
Width: 16 mm (0.63 Inch).
Measures: The thickness is 5.6 mm, (0.21 Inch).
Hallmarks: Stamped with the maker's mark, the mark for the assay and warranty of the .750/.999 gold, the five-digits inventory numbers and signed as follow: "T&CO 18KT 10981".
Angela Cummings
She was born in 1944 in Klagenfurt in Austria. She takes her education at the art academy in Perugia, Italy and at the Zeichenakademie in Hanau, West Germany. in the 1967 she joined Tiffany & Co working under the guidance of Donald Claflin and in the 1975, she was the artistic director for her exclusive line brand Cummings. in 1984 she started her own line of jewelry to be retailed exclusively at an in-boutique store at Bergdorf Goodman, in New York city. Now she's retired from the jewelry business. This bracelet is very nice and a rare collector's piece, both her signed pieces for Tiffany & Co. created in the 1970's and 1980's and also her own exclusive pieces, remain highly collectible and are admired for their beauty, comfort and easily recognizably in style.
Literature: Tiffany & Co. Tiffany & Co. Blue Catalog 1979-1980 Pp-27, for this bracelet illustrated in several colors.
Note: All pieces from this collection were created as unique pieces, with different patterns. All bracelets are similar, but no one is like the other. The placing composition and the shape of the gemstones have some variations, giving the uniqueness to each one. These bracelets have been also produced with black jade, turquoise and red jaspers.
Collateral: This Angela Cummings geometric bracelet for Tiffany & Co. is accompanied by a presentation jewelry box.
Condition: The overall condition of this Tiffany & Co. bracelet by Angela Cummings is excellent. Besides the little normal wear, there is no damage to the gold. The 75 gemstones are secured in their settings. This bangle has been carefully inspected to guarantee the condition and authenticity.
INVENTORY REF: B061825MMENS/1.159
