Splendor: 18th c Gold Spanish Pendant
Jewelry from the Iberian Peninsula has unmistakable old world elegance. Resplendent in its delicate and lacy openwork of handcrafted design, this captivating late 18th century pendant is rendered in 16k yellow gold. The influence of earlier Moresque design is apparent in the hand worked rococo scrolls, spirals and flourishes in a foliage-like splendor.
The ornately curved gold framework is dotted with twenty-five (25) rose cut diamonds in the domed settings of rub over gold work characteristic of this period; five of these are dangling from the filigree. The gems themselves are very naively hand cut—uneven in shape and form consequent to the hand cutting and may appear to be dark due to the typical closed back and foiled setting.
Condition: Excellent; one diamond has a small crack.
Measurements: 2-7/8 inches (7.3 cm) in length by 1-11/16 inches (4.2 cm) in width. This antique pendant has a weight of 11.7 grams (7.5 dwt).
Date & Origin: Circa 1780 – 1790 and is Spanish in origin.
