Broche à double usage c. 1935

W. Röhrig created this ‘Broche à double usage’ out of gold, platinum, diamonds and other stones. The layered composition and ornate style makes me think of the decorative flair of Art Nouveau. What I love is how the solid gold leaf details contrast with the filigree curls of dark metal. It's not just about surface decoration; there's a real sense of depth and texture to the piece. Notice how the central moonstone cabochon seems to float, its milky surface playing with the light. It’s almost as though the hardness of the gold is in dialogue with the soft inner glow of the stone. The more you look at it, the more you realize it’s not just a pretty object. It’s a conversation between different materials, styles, and ways of seeing the world, a bit like the surrealist jewellery of someone like Meret Oppenheim. Art is, after all, an ongoing conversation.