Delicate Pendant with Rubies, Emeralds & Diamonds, c. 1900

This unusual pendant was created at the turn of the 20th century and belongs to that phase of late-Victorian jewellery design in which historicist forms were combined with a growing enthusiasm for the arts of India and the so-called Orient. Since the Great Exhibition of 1851, and increasingly in the decades that followed, Indian textiles, metalwork, and jewelry were extremely prominent in Great Britain; their intense colors and ornamental plant motifs left a distinct mark on European decorative arts. The pendant has a strictly symmetrical design. From a slender central stem, curving tendrils and leaf-like forms emerge, merging into an open, arabesque composition. The two rubies appear as small flower buds, while the two emeralds accentuate the outer ends of the upper arch. This interplay of red, green, and the white sparkle of the diamonds evokes the color aesthetic of Indian jewelry, without directly copying its forms. The lower edge is formed by a freely suspended pearl shell, whose gentle luster serves as a deliberate counterpoint to the bold colors of the gemstones. The technical execution—silver over gold—is distinctly European and characteristic of the period. The old-cut diamonds are set in silver, whose light-colored surface further enhances their brilliance. The underside, however, is made of gold to prevent the piece of jewellery from staining clothing. The pendant thus combines late-Victorian goldsmithing techniques with an ornamental and color palette that evokes an exotic feel. We discovered this piece of jewellery in London and added the silver chain.

Estimate:$1,557.44

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