Fantastic Sweetheart!

[2747andy]

Gentlemen,
what a fantastic example, picked this up as part of a small lot and on closer inspection it appears to be studded with diamonds? The quality is fantastic, although there is some damage to the Honours scrolls, the rest of the enamel is perfect and the lettering appears to be hand painted. The jewels to the laurels appear to have a green hue and those on the cross are white! There is a very small 938 (I think, my eyes are straining to make it out!!) to the rear of the crown and a mark DB/0 105 scratched to the rear. It is the post 1903 pattern badge and measures 35 x 29 mm. By far one of the nicest and most well made sweetheart badges I have ever seen. I would say it was intended for the wife/sweetheart of an Officer. What are the chances of the jewels being genuine rather than paste and could anyone hazzard a guess at its value? There are a few of the smaller stones missing, but still a very fine badge!

Andy

[Neil Pearce]

What a stunner Andy, great find!

Any jeweller worth his salt would be able to advise you on the diamonds I'm sure. Impossible to tell from the pictures. I do know though that the missing ones could be simply replaced where I live in Hong Kong. While you wait in fact...! They have trays and trays of varying sizes and quality. It would be virtually impossible to tell.....

No idea of the value. I would have thought this would depend very much on the authenticity of the stones in scrap terms. A colllector of RB might be willing to shell out some serious dough!

Cheers, Neil

[BWEF]

Probably genuine, ask a Jeweller re the quality.

I have seen ads from "high class" Jewellers offering this sort of Sweetheart for the KRRC, so why not for their sister regiment too? Remember, a lot of the "Green Jackets" officers had both money, and titles.

Here is an ad for Carrington & Co. that I have scanned from the King's Royal Rifle Corps Chronicle for 1953. As Silversmiths "by Appointment" Carrington's would have been knocking out Sweethearts for the Guards too.

Note that the 60th's officers had a choice between "diamond with gold and enamel" and just plain old "gold and enamel". "The whole thing is a terrible farce, unless you're of the officer class".

Carrington's are still in business, and still in Regent Street, although at a different number. They have kept their 1953 phone number, which has just "evolved", as have all London numbers.

Carrington & Co Ltd,
170, Regent Street,
London W1
Tel: 020 7734 3727

It might be worth contacting them to see if the Rifle Brigade badge is one of theirs?

[empiretocommonwealth]

Ng On Neil,

Nay ho mah? ... Oh yes I grew up in Hong Kong (1961 -1979 - except for Leave stuff) and while you wait for the jewels, you could also wait for a suit, a pair of hand made shoes and anything else that takes y'fancy!

Originally Posted by Neil Pearce

What a stunner Andy, great find!

Any jeweller worth his salt would be able to advise you on the diamonds I'm sure. Impossible to tell from the pictures. I do know though that the missing ones could be simply replaced where I live in Hong Kong. While you wait in fact...! They have trays and trays of varying sizes and quality. It would be virtually impossible to tell.....

No idea of the value. I would have thought this would depend very much on the authenticity of the stones in scrap terms. A colllector of RB might be willing to shell out some serious dough!

Cheers, Neil

[empiretocommonwealth]

Hey Andy,

Beautiful work isn't it! I don't think I've ever seen a sweetheart broach with such detail and workmanship.

Nice!

+ Anthony