It is not only fine feathers that make fine birds.
Although Aesop (a Greek storyteller who lived from 620-560 BC) meant something else with his saying, he couldn't be more accurate for the bird pictured here. If something has been lost over the years in the art of jewellery making, it is the cooperation of various disciplines that are needed to create one well-designed and well-made piece of jewellery. The artist/designer, the modeller, the goldsmith, the setter, the engraver, and the polisher, all contributed their expertise.
As is the case with this strange bird here, a typical product of the 1950s. All sorts of animals were used as sources of inspiration. Made of gold and precious stones, sometimes even decorated with enamel, the result of the experts' collaboration was, most of the time, well-made, clever, and cute.
The special thing about this bird, besides its funny and well-made appearance, is the stone used for its eye—a beautiful, velvety light-green coloured natural demantoid of nearly half a carat, that adds a new dimension to the meaning of the word "sparkle". Proving that only the best of the best was used in such pieces. Demantoid is the most expensive and rare of the garnet gemstones, with fine specimens like the one used here commanding prices of thousands of dollars per carat—more expensive than diamonds!