Let this 18ct yellow gold French Victorian brooch flood your senses with its harmonious neo-Rococo openwork interplay of rocailles and flowers. As two blossoming branches sprout from the top shell, a wave of curly C-shapes and swirly S-shapes ripples into a refined background flower frame arrangement.

In the meantime on the bottom of the brooch, an angel’s head serves as the pillar for the tips of two C-elements across the draping leaves as they lift an old European diamond up to the piece its center. And lastly, the estuary of this abundant cascade of elegance narrows from the angel’s collar into a dangling drop shaped saltwater pearl.

How can one not adore this eclecticism of the late Victorian period as it unites the land with the sea and the heavens Рflowers with shells and angels РBelle Époque with neo-Rococo and neo-Classicism.

Antique jewellery object group: brooch/pendant

Condition: excellent condition

Country of origin: France

Style: Late-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.

Style specifics: The Late or Aesthetic 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 Late or Aesthetic Victorian Period.

Jewelry of this period is changing back from heavy to more smaller, romantic pieces with often whimsical motifs. Jewelers using diamonds and bright gemstones in elaborated and fine feminine pieces.

Period: ca. 1890

Source of inspiration: Mother Nature

Material: 18ct yellow gold

Diamond(s): One old European cut diamond with an estimated weight of 0.40ct. (colour and clarity: M, vs/si).
One senaille. 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 this diamond which is normal in our trade when it comes to 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.

Precious stones: One saltwater pearl

Birthstones: Diamond is the birthstone (or month stone) for April and pearl for June.

Hallmarks: The French control mark for 18ct gold representing an eagle’s head that was in use in France from about 1838.

Dimensions: 4,55 cm (1,79 inch) x 4,75 cm (1,87 inch)

Weight: 16,70 gram (10,74 dwt)