Granulated Gold Pendant with Natural Green Tourmaline, Germany, c. 1950s

This pendant from the 1950s shows an ancient goldsmithing technique of exceptional difficulty that is rarely used today. Because it is so incredibly delicate to master, most goldsmiths of our time almost never dare to produce pieces of jewellery like this. We are talking about granulation: in this originally Etruscan goldsmith technique, tiny gold or silver beads are soldered onto a precious metal in such a way that they are only connected to each other at their respective tiny points of contact. The difficulty with this technique is to precisely match the melting point of the gold, because if the granulation beads get just a tiny bit too hot, the work immediately melts away. This granulated pendant made from high-carat gold centres on a precious green tourmaline in a classic scissor cut weighing approx. 5.90 ct. The stone sits in a curved gold oval. The surface of the frame is decorated with a diamond pattern in fine granulation. The plasticity of the granulation creates an enchanting, unique play of light and shadow on the curved surface of the pendant. The piece of jewellery is in very good condition. According to its workmanship and design, it was made in Germany. We have had an independent appraisal carried out to confirm the quality of the materials used.

Estimate:$10,691.49

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