Double SNAKE French ANTiQUE 20g 18k GOLD Bangle Bracelet Red Garnet & RUBY Eyes ViCTORIAN

ABOUT:

I so wanted to keep this piece for myself but it is too large for me so the two slithery friends on this bracelet are looking for a new home.

Unique and beautiful French antique double snake bangle bracelet in 18k gold with antique hallmarks. Each of the two snakes has a red faceted garnet on its head and two cabochon ruby eyes. I love the way the tails coil around and the ball rivet details separating the two bodies of the bangle.

It has the most delicious, rich, buttery patina in antique yellow gold. It has a push button clasp in excellent and tight working condition on the back and a dainty safety chain.

The tongue insert of the clasp is stamped with a goldsmith stamp and the French hallmark for 18k gold used in the 1800s until only 1919 which confirms the age of the piece.

In ancient times, snakes represented the duality of good and evil, as well as being symbols of death and rebirth or immortality, transformation and healing, and even fertility. This motif was highly popularized by Queen Victoria who received a piece from Prince Albert who designed it after the Roman belief that the intertwined snake represented eternal and everlasting love. This design remained popular through the Victorian era and into the Art Nouveau period.

MEASUREMENTS:
It weighs 20 grams. It is about 8 1/4 inches around the outside with a tape measure wrapped around it. Inside dimensions are 62mm by 56mm if I measure the distance across the opening in each direction. I have a 5 1/2 inch wrist and it is too large for me. : ( It spins around my wrist and slides off and on my hand without opening. And with the safety chain, it opens to slide over a larger wrist. Each garnet is about 4x3mm.

IMPORTANT CONDITION NOTES:

Please note that all my pieces are pre-owned with some age to them so they are in estate condition. One eye of one snake appears to be missing a stone but inside the recess it is still pink, the same color as the other eyes, so it appears complete. It is almost like the stone got pressed in or partially lost but when I really study it under strong magnification, it looks more like a pink metallic foil than it does a shiny gemstone so that one part is a bit of a mystery, but it is not really apparent while wearing unless you really study it close up from the side to see that there is a recesses in the bezel.

On the back there are 2-3 of the shallowest shadows of an impression, like a tiny ripple. No nicks to the garnets at all so it has very little wear in that regard.

There is a seam with a slightly different patina along the front of the piece both at the top and on the inside where the gold is a slightly different colored hue. This is from the original fabrication of the bracelet, where they connected the two heads and two tails to the body of the piece. This was done in the making and is not damage or a repair, it is just a slightly different hue, smoothed over and masked by the scales texture. But something to look for in the photos. Beautiful coloring, shine and patina. Some surface wear and scratches but functions well. So unique and beautiful. Please note that due to age, this piece is not in mint condition.

I have many more antique pieces listed so please see my other items and thanks for stopping by!

SOCIAL:
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