ESTIMATED RETAIL PRICE: $6,500 *
*This is the estimated value a piece of similar quality, craftsmanship, and characteristics could command at retail.

Crafted during the height of the late-19th-century Austro-Hungarian empire, this magnificent belt buckle is a masterclass in elite Belle Époque color-blocking and utility-driven high jewelry. Expertly set with triple concentric borders consisting of 100 round faceted rubies, 94 rose-cut diamonds, and 84 vibrant green emeralds, the piece perfectly encapsulates the lavish status jewelry demanded by the Viennese aristocracy.

Beyond its striking visual geometry, this buckle boasts a fascinating historical narrative told entirely through its highly specific, state-regulated marks. The gold pin mechanism and silver-fronted frame feature official Austro-Hungarian verification hallmarks spanning the 1872–1902 window, complete with the coveted "A" assay stamp designating its processing in the imperial capital of Vienna (Wien).

Most intriguing to historians and collectors alike is the deliberate presence of an official state cancellation stamp. Using a deeply cross-hatched grid/waffle-pattern punch, the Vienna Assay Office completely obliterated the piece's original oval maker's marks. This specific legal practice occurred almost exclusively under two scenarios: either a foreign high-jewelry import (such as a piece from a prominent Parisian or Russian house) was being re-verified and taxed for local retail, or an older family heirloom was being completely structurally remodeled for a court client by an imperial jeweler.

The reverse of the yellow-gold mechanism features a crisp, professionally struck 4-digit master inventory number, 9604, a serial system favored by premier European luxury houses like A.E. Köchert and Boucheron for tracking high-society commissions. Underscoring its masterful bench execution, individual components are further hand-stamped with a matching assembly digit ("4"), ensuring perfect alignment during the workshop's multi-part construction process.

A spectacular survivor of late-19th-century imperial Viennese splendor, offering an incredibly rich canvas for further provenance research.

Summary of Key Characteristics
• Metal: 18K yellow gold
• Gemstone(s): (84) round faceted emeralds approx. 1.26 carats total, medium light yellowish green; (94) rose cut diamonds approx. 1.20 carats total, H/VS-SI; (100) round faceted rubies approx. 1.50 carats total, bright pinkish red
• Measurements: 57.50 x 40 mm
• Weight: 16.6 g.
• Condition: In excellent condition. Antique, hallmarked. One emerald missing.
• Stamped: Austro Hungarian Hallmarks; Numbered: #9604 and #4
• PROPERTY OF A VIRGINIA GENTLEMAN

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Provenance
PROPERTY OF A VIRGINIA GENTLEMAN