Belle Epoque multi use diamond necklace and pendant made by Wolfers for noble family

Antique jewelry object group: necklace and pendant

Condition: excellent condition
  -  (more info on our condition scale)

Country of origin: Although it does not carry any legible control marks we believe this to be of Belgian origin.

Style: Belle Époque - The Belle Époque (French for "Beautiful Era") was a period in European social history that began during the late 19th century and lasted until World War I. Occurring during the time of the French Third Republic and the German Empire, the "Belle Époque" was named in retrospect, when it began to be considered a "golden age" the major powers of Europe, new technologies improved lives and the commercial arts adapted Renaissance and eighteenth-century styles to modern forms. In the newly rich United States, emerging from the Panic of 1873, the comparable epoch was dubbed the Gilded Age. In the United Kingdom, this epoch overlaps the end of what is called the Victorian Era there and the period named the Edwardian Era. or more info on styles

Style specifics: The Belle Époque (French for "Beautiful Era") was a period in European social history that began during the late 19th century from the Franco-Prussian War (1870-1871) and lasted until World War I (1914-18).

Occurring during the time of the French Third Republic and the German Empire, the "Belle Époque" was named in retrospect, when it began to be considered a "golden age" the major powers of Europe, new technologies improved lives and the commercial arts adapted Renaissance and eighteenth-century styles to modern forms.

In the newly rich United States, emerging from the Panic of 1873, the comparable epoch was dubbed the Gilded Age. In the United Kingdom, this epoch overlaps the end of what is called the Victorian Era there and the period named the Edwardian Era.

In the Belle Époque cheap coal and cheap labour contributed to the cult of the orchid and made possible the perfection of fruits grown under glass, as the apparatus of state dinners extended to the upper classes; champagne was perfected during the Belle Époque. Exotic feathers and furs were more prominently featured in fashion than ever before, as haute couture was invented in Paris, the centre of the Belle Époque, where fashion began to move in a yearly cycle; in Paris restaurants such as Maxim's achieved a new splendour and cachet as places for the rich to parade, and the Opéra Garnier devoted enormous spaces to staircases as similar show places.

After mid-century, railways linked all the major cities of Europe to spa towns like Biarritz and Deauville; their carriages were rigorously divided into first-class and second-class, but the super-rich now began to commission private railway coaches, as exclusivity was a hallmark of opulent luxury. Bohemian lifestyles gained a different glamour, pursued in the cabarets of Montmartre.

Period: ca. 1890
  -  (events & facts of this era, poetry of this era, fashion of this era)

Extra information: This jewel comes in a box where behind its special made inlay we found a little screwdriver and an extra piece to attach to the bottom part of the necklace (that can be unscrewed from the top part) to wear it just as a single drop shaped pendant.

Furthermore what's interesting about the box that inside we can read:

A.Bourdon &
Wolfers Fres
Joailliers
Gand

Bourdon & Wolfers were suppliers to the court which is shown by the little crown we see above their name in the box. The company Wolfers was the leading jewellery company in Belgium with cooperations with other high standard jewellers in other Belgian cities.

At the outside of the box we see the monogram S.C. with a crown. At the moment we do not know yet which lady this beautiful jewel belonged to, but we're in the midst of our queest to finding this out.

Material: Silver on top and backed with 18K yellow gold (see explanation on silver on gold).
  -  (more info on precious metals)

Diamond(s): One old European cut diamond with an estimated weight of ± 0.50ct. (colour and clarity: J/K, vs/si).
One large high quality big rose cut (9,5 mm x 10,5 mm) and 96 smaller rose cut diamonds and senailles . A senaille is a simplified rose cut diamond, a small diamond chip with perhaps a few polished facets. We do not have the weight of the rose cuts diamonds nor the senailles which is normal in our trade when it comes to rose cut diamonds and senailles.

- All diamond weights, color grades and clarity are approximate since stones are not removed from their mounts to preserve the integrity of the setting.

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

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

Dimensions: total length necklace 48,00 cm (18,90 inch) (can be made to your size), total center piece 7,00 cm (2,76 inch) x 10,00 cm (3,94 inch), and just as a pendant 6,70 cm (2,64 inch) x 2,60 cm (1,02 inch)

Weight: 25,60 gram (16,46 dwt)

Reference Nº: 18128-0042

Copyright photography: Adin, fine antique jewelry

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