Antique Victorian Rose Cut Diamond Pendant Earrings

Antique jewellery object group: earrings long hanging

Condition: excellent condition

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

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.

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 jewellery from India and Japan, which heavily inspired the jewellers of this period. This period also corresponds with the death of Queen Victoria’s husband King Albert making mourning jewellery (set with heavy dark stones) the type of jewellery specific for this period.

Period: ca. 1870

Material: Silver on top and backed with 18ct red gold.

Technique: The rose cuts are set on foil. This is a special technique that was used to bring the lustre of the diamonds to its best quality.

Extra information: notice the little ornaments hanging aside down from the top, this is a rather rare embellishment

Diamonds: Four 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 these diamonds which is normal in our trade when it comes to senailles.

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

Hallmarks: No trace.

Dimensions: height 5,21 cm (2,05 inch)

Weight: 13,60 gram (8,74 dwt)