These delicate citrine earrings are made from filigree with cannetille detailing, goldsmiting techniques that make use of wafer-thin gold threads, which makes this set very light and comfortable to wear.
They were clearly very well-loved in the past, because at some point in time, someone lost the tops of this pair and had copies painstakingly created. This would not have been an easy feat, so this tells us that these earrings were well loved - maybe family heirlooms? - and therefore someone took the time and money to make them suitable to wear again.
The drops can be removed from the tops, creating a more demure pair to be worn during the day, and a more chic pair to wear in the evening. Each part of the earring is set with a citrine that is cut to emulate its shape: the tops are set with an oval-cut citrine, while the drops are set with a tear-shaped citrine.
They have their original 19th-century fisher hooks, which are threaded through the back of the lobe and are fastened in the front.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Size: 42 mm or 1 5/8th inches from hook to tip long.
The top settings measure 12 x 12 mm, and the drops 30 x 14 mm.
Weight: combined 4.93 grams.
Material: The original drops, the oldest part of the earrings, both have a ram's head hallmark for 18k gold, used in Paris between 1819 and 1838. The tops each have an eagle head hallmark for 18k gold, used after 1838.
Hallmarks: One of the tops carries the makers mark 'B-anchor-F', which was used by the jeweler Bagnis Frères, which was founded in 1880 in Marseille. Their specialty was 'bijouterie légère en métaux précieux' or light jewellery in precious metals, so it is not surprising that they were asked to recreate the original earring.
The other top carries the hallmark 'W&F(?)' with a ball on top, which I was unfortunately not able to identify.
Condition: In good antique condition with minor wear, consistent with their age. One cannetille 'wheels' in one of the drops is missing: this can be seen in the pictures.
Please note that this store is based in the EU. Although antiques are exempt from taxes in most countries, buyers from outside the EU might be subject to import duties.