Antique Victorian 18ct gold diamond bracelet snake coiled around its own body

Antique jewellery object group: bangle

Condition: very good condition

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 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.

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

Period: ca. 1890

Source of inspiration: Mother Nature

Theme: Snakes and serpents – Serpent is a word of Latin origin (from Serpens, serpentis “something that creeps, snake”, deriving from the Greek word “erpo” and “erpeto”, crawl and serpent) that is commonly used in a specifically mythic or religious context,signifying a snake that is to be regarded not as a mundane natural phenomenon nor as an object of scientific zoology, but as the bearer of some potent symbolic value.

The serpent is one of the oldest and most widespread mythological symbols. Considerable overlap exists in the symbolic values that serpents represent in various cultures. Some such overlap is due to the common historical ancestry of contemporary symbols. Much of the overlap, however, is traceable to the common biological characteristics of snakes.

In some instances, serpents serve as positive symbols with whom it is possible to identify or to sympathize; in other instances, serpents serve as negative symbols, representing opponents or antagonists of figures or principles with which it is possible to identify. Serpents also appear as ambivalent figures, neither wholly positive nor wholly negative in valence. An example of a serpent used as a positive symbol is Mucalinda, the king of snakes who shielded the Buddha from the elements as the Buddha sat in meditation. An example of a serpent used as a negative symbol is the snake who tempted Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, as described in the Book of Genesis. (From Wikipedia)

Material: 18ct yellow gold (touchstone tested)

Technique: This jewel features a filigree decoration, which is in fact thin gold wire twisted into refined motifs, in this case elegant little balls. You can also notice the use of granulation on this piece. Granulation is a technique where the goldsmith uses very small balls (granules) of metal, which are not soldered to the piece but welded. Both techniques demand very high skills and precision from the maker.

Diamond(s): One pear-shaped rose cut diamond. We do not have the weight of this diamond which is normal in our trade when it comes to rose cuts.

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

Precious stones: Two rubies. We did not check if the ruby is lab produced or not as this information has no influence on the value of this jewel. Natural rubies and lab produced rubies were both used in this era, rather more for their effect than for their intrinsic value.

Birthstones: Diamond is the birthstone (or month stone) for April and ruby for July.

Hallmarks: No trace.

Dimensions: inner circumference 18,70 cm (7,36 inch)

Weight: 25,30 gram (16,27 dwt)