Vintage Teddy Bear Pin 18k Yellow Gold, Italy, Mara Buzio

Figural gold jewelry was an art form in Italian workshops of the late 1970s and early 1980s, and this teddy bear pin by Mara Buzio is a confident example of why. Cast in 18K yellow gold with a high-polish finish, the bear is rendered fully in the round — not flat, not stamped — with genuine sculptural depth at nearly 3/8 of an inch. Every detail is considered: rounded ears, recessed eyes, a ball nose, a bow tie at the neck, and chunky little paws splayed out at the bottom. It reads immediately as a bear and nothing else.

At just under an inch tall it has a presence that punches above its size, and 6.1 grams of 18K gold gives it a satisfying weight in hand. The kind of piece that works on a lapel, a sweater, or pinned to a bag — equally at home as an everyday wear piece or a collector's addition to a figural jewelry grouping.

Stamped 18K Italy on the backside. Good vintage condition consistent with age and wear.