Victorian 18kt gold brooch with amethyst. XIX century. 18-carat gold brooch that has a fine metallic chain dangling, finished in a golden safety pin intended to hold lightweight decorative elements or be fixed to the fabric, providing some movement to the jewel. The center of attention is an oval, facet-cut amethyst, finely set so as not to draw attention away from the gem's setting. This is made up of an elaborate and delicate composition: in the centers of the sides there are four rectangular-shaped pieces with curved smaller ends, decorated with fine plant elements and scrollwork as classicist memories; these elements are interspersed with two concave volutes that flank a leaf (which also presents a fine vegtal decoration in slight relief); This frame is joined to the gem, visually, by a series of elements reminiscent of fine ties with a decoration similar to that of those aforementioned rectangular pieces. Historically, the Victorian Era begins in 1837 with the coronation of a young Queen Victoria in England, and would end in 1901 with her death. It was the period of greatest development of the Industrial Revolution, something that also influences jewelry thanks to important technological advances in practically all fields (hydraulic power, the steam engine, gas, etc. influence the machinery to be used). , and the broad political dominance of England made it possible to take into account “exotic” materials from the colonies. Advances in machinery make it possible to slightly lower jewelry costs, obtain new cuts in gems with a greater number of facets (thanks to faster lathe speeds), novelties in alloys (lowering of gold leagues since 1854 in England, introduction of galvanization…), etc. As for the designs, these were always marked by the taste of Queen Victoria. Thus, in general, three stages can be distinguished: the Early Victorian or Romantic Period (c. 1837-1860), with frequent inspiration from the world of nature; the Middle Victorian or Great Period (c. 1860-1885), marked by mourning for the death of the Queen's mother and her husband Alberto in the same year and the Civil War in the United States, among other events, influenced by the archaeological discoveries of the moment and the technical novelties in the enameling and granulation of gold, and the frequent presence of gems; the Late Victorian or Aesthetic Period (1885-1901), marked by the discoveries of diamond mines in Africa, which made stones cheaper allowing more frequent use in jewelry, more frequent use of ivory and soft color combinations, and a reduction the size of the works as a general rule. Measurements: 4.7 x 4.4 cm. Weight: 21.07 grams.
· Size: 4,7 x 4,4 cm.
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