Antique Gold Bangle with Natural Pearls, Emeralds and Diamonds, c. 1890

During the Belle Époque, pearls enjoyed great popularity and were also allowed to shine as the main focus of a piece of jewellery, framed by diamonds and, more rarely, other precious stones. It was the time before cultured pearls were marketed worldwide, when every fine saltwater pearl still had to be dived for. The yellow gold bangle presented here is a particularly beautiful example of pearl jewelry from this period. Its top features a finely crafted, openwork design with a setting of eleven natural pearls and thirteen natural emeralds, which are set alternately. Twenty rose cut diamonds sparkle in tulip-shaped silver settings on either side of the emeralds, giving the design a soft, lively glow. The creative diversity of such pearl bracelets in Great Britain is impressively documented by contemporary jewelers' catalogs. Accompanying this, we show a page from the 1901 catalog of the Goldsmiths & Silversmiths Company of London, which presents numerous but simpler pieces of jewellery with pearl trimmings. The combination of high-quality oriental pearls, emeralds and diamonds in this fine design makes our bangle stand out in particular and turns it into an extraordinary jewel. For a more precise dating and stylistic classification, please refer to David Bennett and Daniela Mascetti, Understanding Jewellery, London 2010, pp. 253 to 257, where comparative pieces and further information can be found.

Estimate:£2,794.62

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