ABOUT:
Amazing Sparkle! I'm crazy for this one! Lots and lots (I lost count after 250) of chunky Antique Rose Cut DIAMONDS completely encrust this piece.
This striking French Victorian era antique pocket watch case would make the most beautiful pendant for your #neckmess or #neckstack. Crafted in solid 18k gold and silver, it is decorated with tons of small but chunky rose cut diamonds. Even the rim around the watch face, the neck below the crown and the swiveling little scalloped bale is diamond encrusted on both sides so all angles have sparkle. Crazy that not a single stone is missing, even on both sides of the bale where it would typically rub against chains / chatelaine hooks.
The piece has the most amazing texture because the diamonds are not the really tiny, thinly sliced inset discs that we often see. Instead they are the crowned or dutch rose cuts which actually dome up and out from their flat backs - really putting "crusty" (in a great way!) to the term diamond encrusted. Even the bead prongs used to set the stones add to that texture. It is so striking.
I found this piece in Belgium but it is actually French in origin. This is not too surprising as Belgium was part of France at one point and we see a lot of crossover in jewelry in Europe in adjacent countries. It also has a nice provenance in that it bears the French antique hallmark for 18k gold on the crown and on the inside rim, used primarily in the 1800s and discontinued by the very early 1900s. Inside it also has the silver hallmark on the silver cover plate over the watch mechanism. The piece is also topped in silver with patina around the diamonds, it was customary for the period to set diamonds in a white metal but there are the gold highlights that shine through - around the rim, the crown / winder, the thumbnail tabs to open it, at the hinge, and the inside is gold.
NOTE that the inside watch mechanism does not work. It appears to be jammed and shows some verdigris so it may not be repairable as a time piece. I am selling it As Is - I do not know anything about watches so I am not selling it with the claim to use it as a watch, but rather for wear as a pendant. The watch mechanism could be removed to wear the piece as a shaker locket, or worn as it is, as an amazing pendant with the clock facing the back. Sold as is. The dials do move so you can set the time to a relevant time permanently - like Taylor Swift did when she wore an antique watch as a necklace set to "midnight." One of my customers permanently set it to the time her child was born. Just note that it doesn't tick or keep time after setting it.
NOTE This is a Smaller Size pocket watch, would have been a ladies watch on a chatelaine or watch chain. The bale can swivel all the way around.
Chain in photos is not included. Please note the measurements as I have small hands and it can be difficult to decipher scale from photos.
I am selling separately a diamond set bow brooch that was a pocket watch holder at one time with a hook at the back. This is not included but shown in pictures for styling, I have seen these permanently converted to pendants where the two pieces are worn together as a pendant. I included it in the pictures for staging but again they are sold separately.
MEASUREMENTS:
About 32mm to the top of the bale by 22mm wide by 10mm deep. It weighs a sturdy 12.4 grams with the watch mechanism is inside.
There are over 250 diamonds in varying sizes, some teeny tiny. The largest center rose cut is about 4mm. The majority of the others on the cover are 1.5 to 3mm each with teeny diamonds on the neck and both sides of the bale and in a double row around the ring face. It would be impossible to calculate an exact carat weight as I would never remove the stones and depths would vary.
IMPORTANT CONDITION DETAILS:
All my pieces are pre-owned and in estate condition considering age. As mentioned the watch mechanism is inside and does not work. It has some spots of verdigris and buildup inside when you open the engraved cover and appears to be jammed. I am selling the case as is, as a pendant.
These always need gentler wear due to the many many stones set into the antique setting and all the hinges and glass and old bead prongs. But this one especially with all the tiny diamonds individually set - it needs gentle handling. Unbelievably, there are no stones missing, but considering it is 150 years old, I'm sure it may happen at some point. There are some nicks to the stones but they look like amazing, period appropriate rough cut diamonds, so moody and fabulous with their hand cut irregular shapes and crowned facets. The diamonds appear foil backed unless they are just set into the white silver. Several of the other stones have warm hues from age to the closed back. Typical antique rose cuts with some natural inclusions, rough edges, small nibbles and frosty spots, much of this may have always been that way as they were hand cut so long ago and tend to always look this way when they are antique. With varying hues from stone to stone.
As with all my items - Please see photos closely as this is not a mint condition item. I would think with a lot of opening and closing and Soooo many small stones, it would be quite easy for the piece to lose additional diamonds over time so again - gentle wear and handling.
I dearly love, collect, wear and sell antique jewelry and enjoy matching these little pieces of history with loving homes.
Thanks for stopping by!
SOCIAL:
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All items hand picked by me, one at a time from all over the world. All listings individually written by me, and not AI, after studying each piece to discuss its beauties and its ; ) eccentricities (which I am picky to point out).
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