Victorian brooch with enamel pearls rose cut diamonds and hidden compartment

Antique jewelry object group: brooch

Condition: very good condition
  -  (more info on our condition scale)

Country of origin: unknown

Style: Victorian - Victorian decorative arts refers to the style of decorative arts during the Victorian era. The Victorian era is known for its eclectic revival and interpretation of historic styles and the introduction of cross-cultural influences from the middle east and Asia in furniture, fittings, and Interior decoration. Victorian design is widely viewed as having indulged in a regrettable excess of ornament. The Arts and Crafts movement, the aesthetic movement, Anglo-Japanese style, and Art Nouveau style have their beginnings in the late Victorian era.
  -  See also: Victorian or more info on styles

Style specifics: The Grand Victorian Period - Experts divide the reign of Queen Victoria, also called The Victorian era (1837 - 1901) into three periods of about twenty years each; The Romantic Victorian Period (1837 - 1860), The Grand Victorian Period (1860 - 1880), and the Late or Aesthetic Victorian Period (1880 - 1901).

We consider this to be of the Grand Victorian Period.

This second Victorian period is famous for its ostentatious pieces set with pearls and diamonds (from South Africa). From ca. 1850 wealthy English had reported about jewelry from India and Japan, which heavily inspired the jewelers of this period. This period also corresponds with the death of Queen Victoria's husband Prince Albert making mourning jewelry (set with heavy dark stones) the type of jewelry specific for this period.

Period: ca. 1860
  -  (events & facts of this era, poetry of this era, fashion of this era)

Material: 14K yellow gold
  -  (more info on precious metals)

Technique: Enamelling is an old and widely-adopted technology. The ancient Egyptians applied enamels to pottery and stone objects. The ancient Greeks, Celts, Russians, and Chinese also used enameling processes on metal objects. Enamel is the colorful result of fusing powdered glass to a substrate by firing, usually between 750 and 850 degrees Celsius. The powder melts and flows and hardens to a smooth, durable vitreous coating on metal, glass or ceramic. According to some sources, the word enamel comes from the High German word smelzan (to smelt) via the Old French esmail. Used as a noun, "an enamel" is a usually small decorative object, coated with enamel coating, such as a champlevé or a cloisonné (different techniques).

Extra information: Forget-me-not light blue - Although not certain, the light blue color used in this jewel could refer to the color of the forget-me-not flower, a popular color used among lovers.

Diamond(s): Three rose cut diamonds. We do not have the weight of the diamonds which is normal in our trade when it comes to rose cuts.

Precious stones: Ten natural orient half seed pearls

Birthstones: Diamond is the birthstone (or month stone) for April and pearl for June.
  -  (more info on birthstones)

Hallmarks: No trace.
  -  (more info on hallmarks)

Dimensions: diameter 2,79 cm (1,10 inch)

Weight: 10,50 gram (6,75 dwt)

Reference Nº: 19026-0059

Copyright photography: Adin, fine antique jewelry

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Jewelry with birthstones (or month stones) for:
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August - September - October - November or December.


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