HOT ! Vintage 1960s French Couture Turquoise Glass Bead Rhinestone Filigree Brooch

An exceptionally lovely and rare mid-century, 1960s French couture brooch. The central poured glass component has the initial appearance of a cabochon but is actually a French lamp work glass bead. It’s surrounded by a halo of navette prong-set rhinestones, and sits above a layer of faceted metallic seed beads. All of those elements are hand-wired to a pierced metal plate, with a floral gilt filigree back wired behind it. The navette stones refract light beautifully with a prism effect, and appear to be Austrian crystal. The overall effect of the glass and the stones together is stunning. It’s finished with a trombone clasp. Some of the components are the work of Louis Rousselet, but given the uniqueness of the piece and some of the stylistic elements, I suspect this may have been either a haute couture piece for another design house, or - what I believe is most likely - a piece by Jeanne Peral, using some Rousselet components (in addition to producing jewelry themselves, Maison Rousselet produced parts for other paruriers). Peral spent much of her career at Dior, but also created jewelry for a number of the other couture houses (e.g., Chanel, Courrages, etc.), as well as for department stores under her own name.