Romantic Necklace with Diamond Roses and a Pearl in Silver and Gold, c. 1910

This necklace transports us to a time more than 100 years ago. It is evening, and we have been invited to a stately apartment overlooking a grand avenue. In the soft glow of candlelight, diamonds and gold-plated picture frames sparkle, and fragrant silk fabrics shimmer. Dinner will be served soon. Perhaps we are in Paris, perhaps in Vienna, perhaps in London. It’s hard to say for certain: fashion, art, jewellery, and tasteful interior design were all quite similar—and truly international—throughout Europe at the beginning of the 20th century. The necklace sparkles with the soft glow of rose cut diamonds. It is crafted from silver with a gold backing. A large pendant is securely attached to a delicate rose gold chain. Two arches, formed from leaves, hold a swinging, movable frame. A shimmering white pearl is set in its center. The pearl is naturally formed, though not perfectly round; rather, it originally grew within the mother-of-pearl of the shell of the mollusk that housed it. It is what is known as a blister pearl: from the front, it consists of shimmering mother-of-pearl with the typical luster of a genuine pearl; the back is polished to a round shape and has a matte finish. The individual elements of the design—entwined ribbons, blossoms, and leaves—draw inspiration from the jewellery of the Rococo period, the Ancien Régime. This style came back into fashion shortly after 1900, evoking a romantic dream world free from the hardships of the modern present. We love the soft, slightly sentimental charm of the diamonds. They shimmer rather than sparkle, and their luster is not loud but whispers of a past long before our time.

Estimate:$1,099.29

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