Japanese 950 Silver Obidome w/ Diamonds & Emerald Kimono Obi Buckle for Sale

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Japanese 950 Silver Obidome w/ Diamonds & Emerald Kimono Obi Buckle For Sale

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Japanese 950 Silver Obidome w/ Diamonds & Emerald Kimono Obi Buckle:
$275.00

A serious work of art with a playful motif, this wonderful decorative piece worn on an obi on a kimono is hand worked from high purity silver and set with three diamonds and a genuine emerald. A pod of five dolphins can be seen cavorting in the waves foregrounding Mt. Fuji. Two of the dolphins have a 2 mm round faceted diamond \"eye\". In the sky a 3 mm twinkling diamond represents the sun. The big rogue wave in the distance is probably a depiction of \"The Great Wave off Kanagawa\", seen here with an emerald center representing its energy. The work is wrought in relief with hand chased details. The brooch or buckle form has two wide loops in the back through which the obi-jimi cord, worn over the obi, is threaded. The piece has a pronounced curvature. This obi-dome, because it is made from silver and precious gemstones, may have been meant for a formal kimono but the playfulness would make it fine for informal wear as well.
The three diamonds have a total weight of .21 carats; the emerald is .16 carats. The piece is unsigned but has been tested to be at least 950 silver. It measures 2 1/8 \" x 1 1/16\" (53mm x 27mm) and the loops can accommodate a 22mm belt. Weight is 28.1 grams.
Info: An oofferome (\"oh-bee-doe-may\") is an ornamental piece worn by Japanese women with their kimono attire. Prior to the beginning of the 17th century, both women and men wore a plain, rope-like cord to secure the kimono at the waist. After that time, a ribbon-type obi sash, approximately three inches wide, became fashionable for both men and women. As time passed, the width of women\'s obi grew and by the turn of the 19th century, they were as wide as twelve inches. As the obi became wider, it was necessary to apply a separate cord or ribbon called an obijime to secure the obi. Starting in the 1800s, Japanese craftsmen introduced the oofferome as an accent piece attached to the obijime. It slides over the obijime cord or ribbon which holds the obi sash in place. It has the appearance of a belt buckle but serves only a decorative function. This is one of few jewelry items worn by Japanese women when they were formally dressed in kimonos.