Vintage Necklace with a South Sea Pearl and Antique Diamonds in White

This vintage necklace in 18-karat white gold combines two of the most classic materials in the history of jewellery: the pearl and the diamond. Set on a sturdy Venetian chain, it features a pendant composed of three antique diamonds that were cut around the turn of the century. A larger diamond in a cushion-shaped Old Mine Cut, weighing approximately 0.80 ct, is mounted in a movable setting that holds two round Old European Cut diamonds beneath it. Seven small brilliant-cut diamonds are set in a small cap adorned with milgrains, which holds a large pearl at the lower end of the resulting pendant. This treasure from the sea has a slightly baroque teardrop shape and a silvery luster. The pearl is a so-called South Sea pearl—or, more precisely, a South Sea cultured pearl. These are a relatively recent development in the history of pearl cultivation. For a long time, only Akoya pearls cultivated in Japan were available in a quality that could rival that of natural pearls. It wasn’t until the late 1970s that pearls from various countries south of Japan entered the global market. Japanese experts had successfully applied their knowledge of domestic pearl cultivation to the pearl oyster species Pinctada maxima, which had not previously been used in Japan and is capable of producing particularly large pearls: the “South Sea pearl” was born. The design language references similarly styled necklaces from around 1920, though the craftsmanship suggests it was created in the late 20th century. This high-quality necklace came to us from Stuttgart.

Estimate:$4,806.77

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