Ribbon Swirl Brooch Appraisal

Vintage Ribbon Swirl Flower Brooch with Aurora Borealis Rhinestone

This is a vintage costume jewelry brooch featuring a circular stylized floral design crafted from folded and swirled metal ribbons. The brooch is composed of two primary tiers: a wider outer ring of sculpted metal loops and an inner layer of tighter, curved petals that converge toward the center. At the heart of the piece is a single, large Aurora Borealis (AB) coated crystal rhinestone, which displays an iridescent shimmer with reflections of blue, green, and pink. The metal appears to be a silver-toned base metal with a light gold-tone or brassy wash, which shows significant signs of age and patina. There is visible surface wear, particularly along the edges where the plating has thinned, and darkening in the crevices suggestive of oxidation or accumulated dust. The construction uses a layered metal stamping technique common in Mid-Century costume jewelry. Based on the style and the use of the AB rhinestone, which was popularized in the mid-1950s by Swarovski and Christian Dior, this piece likely dates from the late 1950s to the 1960s. The craftsmanship is typical of high-quality mass-produced boutique jewelry of that era, utilizing a prong setting for the central stone and a pin-back mechanism (unseen in this view).