Diamond Silver Set Yellow Gold Belle Époque Diamond Pendant, circa 1910

Edwardian Diamond Gold and Platinum Set Pendant circa 1910 on a platinum chain. Three principle diamonds, in articulated Edwardian drop collets, Victorian Old Cut (Old Mine) approx...

8ct gold and silver set Victorian, Diamond and Emerald Pendant or Brooch circa 1860 Floral and scroll motif design in 18ct yellow gold with emerald tips to the flowers with an articulated pear shaped diamond drop of approx 1.0ct. Very well matched Emeralds with large central stone. Three main transitional cut (old mine) diamonds of approx 0.25ct each (0.75cts in total). Mix of old mine and rose cut diamonds in an 18 carat yellow gold with “silver Set” channel setting , approx 3.0ct total. Total diamond weight: approx 4.75 ct, G/H/I, VS2-SI2. Setting diamonds in gold with a thin layer of silver, “silver set”, was a technique used in the Georgian/Victorian/Art Nouveau period as white coloured gold and platinum were not yet available. A very thin layer of silver was applied to the gold, on which the diamonds were set, to show them off to their best advantage (as the yellow would reflect and distort the white colour of the diamonds). In fitted period box, by Hunt and Roskell, Jewellers to Her Majesty Queen Victoria. Detachable 18ct brooch...

18ct gold & silver set Art Nouveau Diamond Opal Pendant/Brooch dated circa 1900 Five round opals with an articulated pear shaped opal drop, very well matched with lively play of colours and iridescence in reds, greens, blues and gold. Set in 18 carat yellow gold claw collets Two main transitional cut (old mine) diamonds 0.70ct. Mix of old mine and rose cut diamonds in an 18 carat yellow gold with “silver Set” channel setting , approx 1 ct total. G/H/I, VS2-SI2. Total diamond weight: approx 1.7carats Setting diamonds in gold with a thin layer of silver, “silver set”, was a technique used in the Georgian/Victorian/Art Nouveau period as white coloured gold and platinum were not yet available. A very thin layer of silver was applied to the gold, on which the diamonds were set, to show them off to their best advantage (as the yellow would reflect and distort the white colour of the diamonds). The Art Nouveau period was a short lived but worldwide movement which reached its peak at the end of the 19th Century and the first decade of the 20th Century. It had its roots in the Pre Raphaelite and Arts and Crafts movements in Britain in the 1860’s. Artists, such as William Morris, took their inspiration from the flora and fauna of nature and rejected the mass industrialisation and mechanisation of the Victorian age. Art Nouveau continued with this theme and has a distinctive appearance with soft, curved shapes and lines and often depicted natural designs such as flowers, birds and the female form. Before the Art Nouveau period, the emphasis had been to design pieces with an emphasis on gem stones, diamonds, rubies emeralds etc. However, during the Art Nouveau period, jewellers adopted the idea of using other semi–precious stones “from nature” such as agate, garnet opal, moonstone, aquamarine and experimented with a wide variety of new techniques e.g. enamelling. The “New Art” style became a worldwide movement encompassing all disciplines of the arts, and world class artists as far afield as Gaudi with his “modernisme” architecture in Spain, Louis Comfort Tiffany in New York with objects, Galle Glass in France and the Liberty & Co Archibald Knox designs in Britain, Jugendstil in Northern Europe and Faberge in Russia. The movement flared brightly but briefly and by 1910 it was already going out of style to be replaced by Art Deco. In fitted period box. Detachable 18ct brooch...

Platinum & 18ct white gold diamond pendant in the Art Deco Egyptian Revival style dated circa 1970 on a platinum chain. Articulated central diamond drop, 0.50ct (approx), Natural Li...

French Art Nouveau - an antique necklace made of yellow gold and silver with a gold-plated metal chain. The Art Nouveau element was probably originally a brooch turned into a pendant...

A Belle Epoque navette-shape miniature pendant, set to the centre with a grisaille miniature depicting Venus and Eros, pressumed by Paillet, set under domed crystal surrounded by a rose-cut diamond-set frame and yellow gold back, terminating to three pearl and diamond-set drops, all suspended by a fine platinum and seed pearl-set chain, bearing Inventory number 4514, French hallmarks for gold and platinum and indistinct maker’s mark, circa 1900, the pendant measuring approximately 6.3 x 2.2cm, the chain is measuring approximately 40cm long, gross weight 7.8 grams. Fernand Paillet (1850-1918) was a painter of miniatures for the Paris jeweller Boucheron. This gorgeous Belle Epoque pendant necklace, typical of the French jeweller Boucheron, was made around 1900 and is from the collection of Bentley & Skinner, the London jewellers by appointment to both Her Majesty the Queen and His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales. The navette-shaped pendant features a delicate miniature painting of Venus...

This French made Belle Epoque Lavaliere necklet features a fine chain suspending a diamond set drop pendant. Consisting of beautiful fine knife-edged scroll work with mille-grained s...

This is a stunning necklet from the Belle Epoque era. Hand-crafted in platinum with pierced and mille-grained settings, this circular pendant with an elaborate runner is adorned with...