The wonderful thing about vintage jewelry is the history that comes with it. The intricate piece shown here is Empress Eugénie's brooch which was made in 1855 by the Parisian jeweler François Kramer for the French Empress. The brooch was set to be part of the Christie's Eye of a Connoisseur sale which was halted at the last minute due to a court order and a complicated situation involving Fred Leighton owner, Ralph Esmerian and a few outstanding loans from Merrill Lynch. Esmerian was having trouble paying his debts and had to surrender the collateral, his collection. Merrill Lynch tried to cash in the jewels at a Christie's auction in New York but Esmerian was able to block the sale although he had to declare bankruptcy in the process and will sell the pieces privately.

The brooch had a pre-sales estimate of $4 million to $6 million but the Louvre paid close to $11 million, eager to get back a piece of the crown jewels. The brooch was first auctioned off in 1887 when the French government decided the property of French queens and kings would be sold to the highest bidder. The jeweler Emile Schlesinger bought the piece which was originally meant to be a belt buckle and was later turned into a stomacher: a pin that extends from the chest to the waist. Schlesinger bought the piece for Mrs. William Astor and remained in the Astor family for more than 100 years. The Astors were also, for a time, a type of American royalty so this beautiful piece acquired an additional worthy provenance.

Would the piece have been worth less without the history? A piece like this is just the sum of its parts, stones and metal. But it is also so much more, craftsmanship and history and that history was what the Louvre was willing to pay for.

If you are not into dressing up for Halloween, but still want show your Halloween spirit, why not try the Iridesse Spider Web Brooch as an alternative. Made of 18kt gold and elegantly accented with cultured freshwaer pearl and a single diamond, celebrate Halloween in style. Who knew a spider web could look so good? It's even sophisticated enough to wear throughout the year. Price: $925.

Women don't seem to be wearing brooches much these days. Perhaps a pin like this one could help bring them back into fashion? Resembling a very pretty spider web, the Pink Peony can be worn as a pin or a pendant. All woven and curvy, threads of 14k white and rose gold spin out from a tourmaline cabochon center stone. Alternating gold beads and pear-shaped pink tourmalines set at a slight angle give the illusion of movement and soften the edges. $1940.

I have had my issues with jewelry designs that combine shells and gemstones but it is hard to resist the charms of John Hardy, especially as showcased in his limited edition Cinta collection. Cinta means love and this limited edition collection is full of pieces to love that reflect John Hardy's unique island style. This piece, titled Dress Me In Blue Fire, is a white abalone brooch with accents of Rhodium-plated 18K white gold ringed with blue topaz, iolite and cognac diamonds. Simply gorgeous.

Designer Jared Gold is doing something different with his latest jeweled creation. Though sold as an ornament, his Giant Madagascar Hissing Cockroach Brooch is really a sort of pet, albeit a bejeweled one. Live, 3-inch long tropical cockroaches have Swarovski crystals glued onto their hard shells and are attached to a cameo pin with a silver chain; they can crawl around their owners shoulders and arms. All the roaches are male, to ensure sterility, and must be properly cared for to reach their life expectancy of one year. They eat bananas and need access to fresh water, or at least to a damp cloth, at all times.

They're not really my cup of tea, as I can see forgetting that the little guy was there and jumping up screaming when I felt him crawl onto the back of my neck. If you're interested, however, they are shipped overnight and sell for $80.