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.
SKU Z226
