ABOUT:
The choooooonky old cut diamonds on this pendant! Swoon! High crowns crop out of the silver collet settings in mixed shapes of old mine cuts, some elongated, some French cut tendencies and even a Peruzzi cut! Total diamond weight is at least 1 3/4 carat with the chunky cuts.
This French antique pendant gives a nod to the giardinetti style of jewelry with the swirling leaf details. Victorian era piece crafted in 18k gold and topped in silver as was customary for the period to set diamonds in a white metal.
The diamonds have a nice brightness and great clarity in addition to the deliciously wonky cuts. Often times these pieces in closed back settings but this one is open backed, bright and flashy with the most amazing texture. I purchased this in France as a single broken antique earring and wanted to make it wearable so I converted it to a pendant.
While exact carat weight is unknown with all the freeform cuts, it is over a carat worth of a diamonds. It holds some elongated old mine cuts, a Peruzzi cut and several with the long and triangular scissor cuts with a more square shape. These are often mistaken for peruzzis but are more of a combo with a French cut as they only have the single row of long crown facets.
The earring parts were stamped for 18k and silver but are no longer visible with the conversion.
Additional items shown in photos not included, props, dishes, mice ; ) also not included. Please note the measurements as I have small hands and it can be difficult to decipher scale from photos.
MEASUREMENTS:
The piece has 11 old mine cuts and two little rose cuts filling in. The largest OMC diamonds measure 4.3 / 4 / 3.5mm. The other OMC's measure 2.5 to 3.2mm each, all extra chunky weighing over their modern counterparts by size because they are so heavily cut. Total carat weight is conservatively over 1.75 carats.
Dimensions: 25mm top to bottom with the attached loop (not including jump ring) by 12.5mm wide and 7.5mm deep. It weighs 2.7 grams.
IMPORTANT CONDITION NOTES:
It's an early Victorian setting with some wear to the silver prongs so I don't recommend it rattling around in a neckmess : ) but fortunately pendants are by nature more gently worn.
One of the smaller diamonds on the left side has shallow flakes of loss in one small corner leaving a small frosty, unpolished texture but this is not glaring as the stone still appears complete in its original shape in the setting. Many of the diamonds are eye clean with just a few faint speck inclusions seen under strong magnification here or there. Nothing dark or glaring. Slightly varying degrees of warmth contributed to by the extra chunky cuts but they don't read as dingy and are overall well matching.
Please note that all my pieces are pre-owned and in estate condition. They will have patina, surface wear, a few small nicks. These pieces may also have evidence of a sizing, some build up around the stones and / or inclusions seen under magnification, typical for antique pieces. I have mentioned any noticeable issues above and they are all still wearable and eager to be loved and accepted for many years to come, (the preservation of antique jewelry, even those with signs of their age and history, is important to me. : )
But - Please note due to age, this piece is not in mint condition. Pictures also serve as part of the description and condition report so please utilize the zoom feature which will magnify any wear significantly more than what is visible to the eye while wearing : )
I dearly love, wear and sell antique jewelry so please check out my other listings and thanks so much for stopping by my shop!
SOCIAL:
Please feel free watch @mouseshouseantiques on Instagram for inventory drops, sneak peaks and previews! And check out my website www.MousesHouseAntiques.com as I can add more pics there so you can get extra looks : )
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).
Box#@sc.!062
