Unusual Pendant with Diamonds in Silver & Gold with Cultured Pearls

At the center of this pendant is a historic jewellery fragment of the late 19th century, whose compact, diamond-encrusted design is characteristic of pieces of jewellery from the 1880s. In its current form, the piece combines a historic piece of goldsmith’s work—which we discovered in Vienna—with a modern addition: three large pearls were added as movable pendants, and the fragment was transformed into a necklace. The composition is strictly symmetrical. Two diamond-set arches rise from the center, curving inward at the sides to frame a central rosette. Above this is another openwork arch; small leaves and blossoms enrich the design of the piece of jewellery. At the center sits an old-cut diamond weighing approximately 0.50 ct, surrounded by a flower-shaped setting that makes the cushion-shaped half-carat stone appear even larger. A total of 24 additional old-cut diamonds, weighing a combined total of approximately 2.13 ct, and ten small diamond roses cover the surface with light. Their historic cuts are particularly charming: the slightly varying proportions and facets of the hand-cut stones do not produce a uniform brilliance, but rather a lively sparkle that changes from stone to stone. The three freshwater cultured pearls present today are not part of the original piece. They were deliberately added as a modern complement and, at the same time, echo one of the most characteristic combinations of the Belle Époque: the cool fire of white diamonds and the soft luster of white pearls. Swinging freely beneath the historic setting, they give the previously fragmentary jewelry element a new finish and a clear silhouette. Thus, the current setting does not attempt to reconstruct a supposedly lost original form. Rather, it makes the piece’s history itself part of its design: a preserved fragment from the late 19th century is given a new function through a few carefully placed additions—and becomes once again what it was originally created to be: wearable jewellery. We have added a long silver chain.

Estimate:$5,940.45

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