I was intrigued by this mother of pearl, lapis, diamond and gold bird on offer in the May 11 Sotheby’s auction. Dated to the 1970s, it could as easily have been made 20 or 30 years earlier as the stylized bird form has long been popular in jewelry and lends itself to designs both sleek and traditional.

What I really found interesting is that it reminded me of a hummingbird design by costume jeweller Marcel Boucher. However, Boucher began his career in fine jewellery and you can see those influences in this piece. Costume jewellery is often derided for being cheap or “not real” but the inspirations for both real and “fake” jewellery are often so intertwined, it seems unfair to call out faux jewellery in particular.

The fine gold bird’s estimate is 8,000-12,000 Swiss francs. The Boucher birds (and he did many, often deco or moderne inspired) are about $100 and up (sometimes way up) depending on design and condition.