Victorian "Necklet" with Tourmaline & Pearls Set in Gold, Great Britain c. 1900

Pieces of jewellery made of yellow gold and studded all over with seed pearls were very popular in Great Britain in the c. 1900s. Particularly popular were the so-called "necklets", delicate necklaces that carried a showpiece of elegantly arranged flowers or other plant shapes on a delicate chain. The illustrated advertisement from the London firm Mappin & Webb from 1900 shows some examples of these necklaces. It also notes that due to the great demand for pearls, the prices for such products had recently risen. This necklace is just such a necklet and glows warmly in the fresh luster of the numerous pearls. A beautiful tourmaline in intense green shines at the center of the floral composition. A large cultured pearl is suspended below it. It was added to the necklace more recently. The necklace is made from the typical British alloy of fifteen carat gold (corresponding to a fineness of 625/000). We encounter this alloy in many Victorian and Edwardian pieces of jewellery, but it was only used until 1932, after which it was discontinued. We discovered this high-quality necklace in London. It is in very good condition, the pearl was added more recently.

Estimate:£2,509.29

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