Antique Necklace with Diamonds In Gold & Silver, Vienna c. 1900

With the invention of gas light and then electric light at the end of the 19th century, the ballrooms of Europe were suddenly filled with glistening brightness. No more dark, yellow candlelight, but the white glow of hundreds of lamps made the ladies' jewellery shine and sparkle like never before. No wonder that a new fashion emerged as a result of these developments: white jewels made of diamonds and silver responded to the new lighting conditions and replaced the previous more colorful designs. In general, jewellery became increasingly richly set with sparkling diamonds to create an ever more luxurious and rich appearance. At the grand balls in Paris, London and St. Petersburg, ever more magnificent diamond necklaces were presented, as well as tiaras, brooches and rings, all dreams in white diamonds. The name of the era, the Belle Époque, still indicates the aim of this period today: To shine in beauty. However, the fashion for white jewellery remained relevant in the following decades, right up to the Art Déco of the 1920s. Only the materials used for the settings changed. Silver was initially replaced by platinum plating and later by jewellery made entirely of platinum or white gold, which was developed shortly before the World War. This fine necklace came to us from Vienna and shines with a setting of 33 diamonds totaling around 2.10 ct. The historic old-cut gemstones are set in silver, which wonderfully complements the slightly warm shine of the stones. The back of the pendant, on the other hand, is made of gold so that nothing can rub off on the clasp. This was the usual technique at the turn of the century. The design also corresponds to the period around 1900: the showpiece is subtly playful yet symmetrical, with floral motifs in the form of laurel leaves but still clearly abstract. A larger diamond is suspended from a pendant, adding brilliant light reflections to the design with every movement.

Estimate:£3,612.37

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