The design of these 14k yellow gold drop earrings are typical for the bold, modern-looking jewellery that was popular in the second half of the 19th Century. Several sources of inspiration have been combined and can be discerned when observing its different elements.
The drop-shaped bases, each decorated with a geometrical pattern of tiny gold beads, a technique known as granulation, is clearly inspired by Etruscan jewellery. The discovery of several Etruscan tombs in the 1860s created a craze for neo-Etruscan fashion, and therefore Etruscan influences can be found in a lot of Victorian jewellery. The oval cabochon-cut garnets that center the design, and the little fringes at the bottom that are known as a 'beard' are however very typical for 19th Century jewels.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Size: 52 x 15 mm / 2 x 0.55 inches from hook to tip.
Weight: Total weight 10.25 grams.
Age: 19th Century, also known as the Victorian era, circa 1870s.
Material: The earrings are acid tested as being 14k gold.
Condition: These earrings are in great antique condition, with only minor wear, consistent with their age.
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