Rood, a remarkable cased Art Deco emerald and diamond sautoir, London, 1920s, the sautoir composed

Rood, a remarkable cased Art Deco emerald and diamond sautoir, London, 1920s, the sautoir composed of geometric links set with step-cut emeralds and baguette diamonds, between abstract foliate motifs set with circular-cut diamonds, detaching to form two bracelets and a shorter necklace, suspending an elongated pendant of geometric design, set with circular-cut and baguette diamonds and a step-cut emerald, the shoulders set with three-dimensional floral motifs set with circular-cut diamonds, mounted in platinum, sautoir length 76.5cm, pendant length 6.3cm including bail, bracelets 18cm each, necklace with bracelets detached 39.8cm, pendant signed Rood, clasps stamped Pt, original fitted case stamped Rood, 52 & 53 Burlington Arcade, London W1

This stylish emerald and diamond sautoir is an extremely rare surviving work from one of London’s great jewellers, SJ Rood. Founded in 1873, Rood was owned by the Allen family, and were based at 52-53 Burlington Arcade.

A fixture of London’s luxury market since its inception, Burlington Arcade was built in 1819 to the order of George Cavendish, 1st Earl of Burlington, to rival the covered shopping arcades of Paris, St Petersburg and Milan. From its outset, it was intended as a location for high-end jewellers and purveyors of luxury goods, and SJ Rood benefited greatly from the clientele that frequented it. Eventually the firm’s designs attracted patronage and a Royal Warrant from Queen Mary, who commissioned at least twelve rings from Rood between 1918-52, to congratulate each of her ladies-in-waiting when they became engaged.

Throughout the 20^th century, Rood continued its success as one of London’s premier jewellers, acquiring the jeweller Drayson in 1963, before eventually being acquired by the jeweller Hancocks & Co., who took over the premises in 1998.

Converting into a pair of bracelets and a shorter necklace, this ingenious jewel is an excellent example of the superb jewels that Rood created in the Art Deco era, showcasing the firm’s expertise and quality of workmanship, and their ability to move with changing fashions. Presented in its original case, this is one of the most significant designs by this now-lost jeweller to come to light in recent years.