18th Century Garnet Girandole Pendant in Antique Box

I am pleased to offer this fine 18th century girandole (three drop) garnet pendant. Entirely hand wrought in 14k gold, this circa 1780 pendant is rare indeed!

This lovely example of Georgian period finery has all the bells and whistles- exemplary gold work, luscious raspberry colored garnets and that wonderful triple drop motif that is so pleasing to the eye! To afford such extravagance, the wearer of this piece was surely a member of society. Imagine the lavish dinners where this jewel was worn, sparkling in the candle light! The wonderful jewels of this period where comprised of several parts, connected but movable. Amazingly, it has survived over two hundred years without losing any of its parts. The stones are in excellent condition considering the age of this piece. They have lovely polish. As seen in the photos, the central one in the bottom medallion has a chip, but this is not apparent when it is worn. The detail on this piece is astonishing. The flower motif accented by the flat cut garnets is indicative of Spanish or Portuguese work of the period. Note the chasing on the front of the pendant as well as the shaping of the back of the three drops. It measures 2 1/8" in length and is 1 1/4" wide. It was tested professionally and is 14k gold. Since it had darkened over the centuries, I hand polished it with a cloth but left most of its patina. I recommend wearing it on a ribbon or cord to prevent wear to the bale.

Although this pendant was originally worn with formal gowns, it translates easily into modern times and will be quite wearable on your next evening out on the town. If you are a discerning collector of 18th century jewels, you will feel like nobility wearing this jewel!

It will come in the antique box pictured. Although not original to this box, it is a beautiful fit!