A rare and exceptionally pretty example of late Victorian fringe jewellery, this necklace is set throughout in 15ct yellow gold with topaz and aquamarine, chosen for their soft, pastel tonal range. Twenty-one graduated drops fall from the collar in a classic fringe arrangement, each stone cut and matched to create a gentle gradation of colour and length across the width of the piece — a hallmark of the finest Victorian fringe necklaces, where the interplay of gem hues does much of the design work.
The pairing of topaz and aquamarine was a favoured combination during the period for its delicate, almost watercolour palette, sitting somewhere between warm and cool without settling into either. Suites of this kind were typically the preserve of the well-to-do, made as important pieces for evening wear, and multi-gem fringe necklaces surviving with their full complement of drops intact — as this one does — are increasingly scarce on the market.
The 15ct gold, a standard phased out in Britain in 1932, places manufacture firmly within the Victorian period and speaks to the quality of the original commission. A striking, wearable piece of gem-set history, equally suited to a serious collection or as a statement of colour for the woman who prefers her jewellery with genuine age and provenance behind it.
SKU Z226
