Luxurious Pendant with Untreated Burmese Rubies & Diamonds, c. 1895 & Later

Rubies were already among the most sought-after gemstones in the 1890s—but they were not always easy to obtain. Even back then, contemporary reports lamented how difficult it was to acquire the finest rubies. Rubies from Burma were held in the highest regard, and that has not changed to this day. Two of these gemstones also shine in this pendant. They are untreated Burmese rubies that have been cut into brilliant cabochons—their colour and luminosity were brought out solely through the skill of the gem cutters. Each of the two stones has its own unique hue and individual proportions. The more intensely colored ruby shines within a latticework of diamond-set tendrils that form a stylized heart; the lighter, raspberry-colored stone is suspended below it as a movable teardrop-shaped pendant. Typical of the period is the silver-on-gold setting, with the settings for the rubies and the yellowish diamond in the loop crafted from yellow gold to complement their respective colours. A special highlight of the piece: The pendant loop and the lower teardrop can be removed and then assembled into a smaller pendant. The three movable elements—the loop, the centerpiece, and the teardrop—were created around the same time but were likely only later combined into a single piece. However, this can only be discerned under a magnifying glass and upon the most careful examination of the settings, as the resulting pendant still fully conforms to the design language of the 1890s. For dating, see also the attached illustration with comparable pieces. The combination was thus executed with a remarkable sensitivity to the historical design language. We have had an external appraisal prepared for this well-preserved piece, which is included with the item.

Estimate:£12,648.01

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