This ethereal 200 year old solid 18K gold gem set lace brooch pendant is best described as magical.
Georgian jewelry of this detail and in such intact condition is astonishingly rare and as we all know for every piece there must be a hundred out there in imitation...
It's amazing to hold this delicate jewel.
The gold has a warmth and subdued patina from 200 years of careful wear. You can just imagine the places it has been and the parties attended where it was worn on a lace gown and admired by all. It's romantic and takes your breath away- and for all of you Georgian jewelry fanatics out there you will know exactly what I refer to and how these words don't do justice to a genuine era piece like this one.
Set amidst the delicate sparkly of beautiful colors are four genuine natural pearls each approximately 2.3mm in diameter. These are natural pearls in this period of course as cultured pearls were not invented for more than 120 years after this piece was made.
In total there are 16 grass green bright little emeralds all set with foil backs and measuring on average 2.5mm by 2.1mm. These lovely gems are well matched for color and cut beautifully. They each weigh approximately 5 points as estimating weights will allow in the foil backed settings. These are super pretty little emeralds which are bright and have lovely glittery sparkle.
In total there is approximately 0.8 carats of fine emeralds set in this snowflake pendant.
The topaz vary in color a lot throughout the brooch and are each foil backed. The smaller single cut gems are each 3.3mm round and weigh approximately 20 points. The larger oval cuts are each on average 6.2mm by 4.2mm and weigh approximately 50 points and the largest oval cuts are each on average 7.9mm by 5.7mm and weigh approximately 1 carat each.
The total weight of gems in this stunning Georgian brooch is approximately 7.6 carats.
Of course as common in this era this piece is not marked for metal fineness but tests have conclusively confirmed solid 18K yellow gold.
It weighs 11.8 grams.
Delicate to look at this brooch is surprisingly large when measured which is not visually apparent because of the fine details. From side to side it measures 1 7/8" and from top to bottom including the bale or attachment for the safety chain it measures 2" in length (48mm x 51mm).
The safety chain can be removed of course and is approximately 2 3/4" in length (70mm).
If so desired this lovely brooch could be worn as a pendant as the safety chain can be detached and the bale used to suspend this lovely jewel on a silk cord or delicate chain as so desired.
This entire brooch is handmade - every small lace like detail and setting has been carefully worked by hand. The detail and skill involved here does literally take your breath away.
The condition here is excellent for the authenticity of this piece. The emeralds are secure in their settings and are intact there is one with a small percussion mark to a facet viewed only at high magnification, another with an abraded table facet and a small chip to yet another not visible without high magnification. The pearls are secure in their settings and the nacre still thick they have some natural variation in color to be expected for genuine pearls from the sea. The gold has some oxidation in places from two hundred years of use quite often perfume and the like can have this effect over a long time. The topaz are all secure in their settings and viewed at magnification you can see corrosion to the original foil at the back of the settings which for genuine Georgian jewelry collectors is reassuring that this piece is not reproduction. The topaz are in good condition with 3 stones of the twelve having small chips to the sides which are not visible except at high magnification. There is some evidence at very high magnification that the backs of the topaz were colored pink those many hundreds of years ago with the dye deteriorated over time. Once again this is a detail that simply cannot be faked even by a clever forger today. The small triangular delicate handmade claws which hold the gems in place are each and every one intact. Finally and very importantly the c clasp is strong, intact and very secure.
This is an extraordinary Georgian jewel that has been worn carefully and cared for over more than 200 years. It presents beautifully as the photographs which are highly magnified show.
A full appraisal certificate accompanies this rare jewel.
It will be sent in a presentation box ready for gifting and for safe keeping forever.
The photos form part of the description. Like all colored stones there is a color variation that occurs in different lighting conditions both inside but also outside, even the time of day can make the color of a stone appear a little different. We do our best to show colors as we see them. Color perception is highly individual and some people can perceive more colors than others, also colors can appear somewhat different on different screens and devices due to variations in screen hardware and device display settings.
