The Georgian era, with its candle-lit parties, created some of the most beautiful and dazzling jewelry of all time. Decorative earrings with foiled back gems were perfectly shown off by warm light and up-do hairstyles. Girandole earrings were named after a type of candelabra and featured an elaborate central design from which suspended three pear-shaped motifs.
So few earring pairs from the era survive, as they fell out of fashion and were converted to pendants or other smaller pieces. These scroll work earrings would have most likely had a matching pendant. They feature mostly 19 table cut rubies, along side garnets and a few spinel in foiled back settings. The back of the earrings have been beautifully decorated by the jeweler.
The earrings are composed of a rosette connected to a central butterfly motif ending with three teardrop pendants. The setting technique is the typical Sicilian one called “a castone cilindrico" (trad. cylindrical bezel.
These earrings are very comfortable to wear and measure 2 1/16" from the top of the wire to the bottom of the longest dangle and 1 1/8" across the widest portion. They weigh about 16.2 grams. Both original ear wires close securely and are stamped with Italian marks. Fashioned in 18k gold and made in Sicily, circa 1770.
One far right dangle joint was repaired in antiquity. A couple of stones are chippy/show wear commensurate with age. Please view all photos as they form part of the description. You will receive the pictured earrings
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