Layers of symbolism are written into this bracelet. A central baroque pearl is used in a painterly fashion to form a cavalryman’s helmet complete with diamond and emerald plume. The bracelet was likely custom-commissioned for the wife of a high-ranking officer in the French Foreign Legion, which unlike the French Army—which wears red and blue—wears green. Green, pink, and yellow gold showcase motifs selected to reflect the pomp and circumstance of the military. At the time this bracelet was made, French jewelry was considered the world’s finest, and Simon Petiteau was regarded by some of his most famous contemporaries as a skilled artisan.