Victorian Webbed Gold-in-Quartz Cufflinks

An exceptional pair of weighty, Victorian-era cuff links, hand-fabricated in 14k rose gold, whose flush-set gems are a spectacular pair of oval, gold-in-quartz specimens! Quartz veins are the quintessential partner for gold in the "wild," and gold-bearing-quartz gems like these were formed long ago, when pure, molten gold filled the naturally occurring fissures and cracks in quartz deposits. These gold-in-quartz specimens have an earthy, mottled field that is marked by a handful of scattered, darker, "freckles—" this mottled ground is heavily figured with a beautiful, web-like pattern of native gold, that seems to float atop it. These gold-in-quartz gems are striking and very unusual— it is rare to find examples with such evenly distributed gold deposits! 

These cufflinks are bean backs. Their construction is heavy, and very fine. The backs of the bezels are closed. We love them for their clean lines and heavy build . . . for their tough but elegant presentation! The gold-in-quartz gems are some of the best we've ever seen. This beautiful, unusual material was very popular during the gold rush eras.

Materials

14k Gold
Gold-in-quartz

Age

c. 1880

Dimensions

Cufflink faces measure approx 19 x 15.1 mm; bezel depth is approx 4.5 mm; bean back "beans" measure approx 10.6 x 7.4 mm; weight is approx 18 grams.