Kenneth J. Lane Diamond & Coral Maltese Cross Brooch

NWS 1-1449

~ In the early 1960's, when Kenneth J. Lane boldly decided to strike off on his own, to design what would become one of the greatest costume jewelry collections in American fashion history, every woman in America reaped the benefits.  In fact, his jewelry quickly became famous world-wide, and the long list of his customers includes the rich and famous, like Sophia Loren, Barbara Bush, Jackie Kennedy and the Duchess of Windsor.

~ This magnificent Kenneth J. Lane brooch is covered in clear, faceted crystals of the highest quality. These sparkling, faux diamonds are pavé-set on both the upper and lower layers of the Maltese cross, providing a dramatic backdrop for the large, faux coral cabochons.

~ The coral glass has been cut into 2 different sizes of ovals, and all have been prong-set by hand into the goldplated metal.  The clear rhinestones, on the other hand, have been set into thickly plated rhodium, which sets off the stones with an incredible brilliance.

~ The last photo above shows the brooch from the side. You can see that it does not lie flat. The four arms of the Maltese cross are gently curved downwards, lending a cushion-like appearance. And each arm of the cross is also arching so that the sides of the arm are lower than the center of the arm. This lovely, 3-dimensional aspect provides a graceful appearance to counter the brooch's impressive size. It measures 2 3/8" across!

~ At the center of the Maltese cross is a large, oval, coral colored stone that has been bezel set.  Spectacular! ~ An extraordinary brooch for the woman who appreciates that class is timeless! Maltese brooches seen here from Kenneth J. Lane's book, Faking It, p. 73. ~ Signed on the back "KJ L ©" c. 1980, best guess, in mint condition.

Price = $365.00 b 5, k-p

Who was Kenneth J. Lane?

Live chat by LivePerson