14K Art Nouveau Plique a Jour & Diamond Pendant

Art Nouveau Hydrangea Plique a Jour Pendant set in silver with hand painted hard enamel florals and plique a jour leaves. Realistically modeled silver branch with a enamel bloom belo...

A classic Art Nouveau design, this 15k rose gold necklace features stunning plique-à-jour, Rose Cut diamonds, and beautiful pearls. The centerpiece of the necklace is articulated, hinged in two places so that the flower and pearl drops dangle freely. Three plique-à-jour leaves are translucent—the loveliest matte soft green that fades into subtle purple highlights, clearly done by a master. Each cell of the leaf is filled with plique, with a white metal (platinum or white gold) creating contrast in the center of the leaf. Inside are a channel of bead set Rose Cut diamonds. A flower is suspended from the leaves, with multi-tones of peach to pale yellow that glow against the gold, with a prong-set diamond as its piston. The design work loops over, turning the bail into a scrolling foliate. The 15k gold appears rosy, as it has an incredible patina that shimmers with various hues of pink, gold, and green. “Plique-à-jour” translates from French as “letting in daylight” and is a charming technique used in jewelry throughout the 20th century. To create this effect, colored, transparent enamel is suspended between gold backless cells to allow light to illuminate the piece with vibrant colors, similar to a stained glass window. The flower hangs from a 15k gold classic alternating link chain...