Victorian Green Turquoise Drop Necklace

A soulful Victorian era necklace, modeled in 14k rosy yellow gold, whose central element is a large, green turquoise cabochon (oval, oriented east/west). This natural, olive-green turquoise is beautifully figured with tan matrix. It rests in a delicately-toothed bezel, where it is surrounded by a scalloped border, set with a series of luminous, silvery-white seed pearls. Two drops hang from this oval centerpiece— each begins (vertically) with a knife-edge bar, ending with a bezel-set seed pearl, and a tear-shaped turquoise cabochon. These drops are especially charming because they hang at different lengths, like clock weights! A slender, integral cable chain extends from the necklace's central element, and closes at the back of the neck with a spring ring clasp. This exceptional, rich-green turquoise looks like the material that came from the Damele mine— we love its natural, almost rustic quality, contrasted with the orderliness and femininity of the necklace's design. This is all-original. It is marked 14 KT on the reverse.

Materials

14k gold
Turquoise
Pearls

Age

c. 1890

Dimensions

Total length measures approx 15.75"; large turquoise cabochon measures approx 18 x 10 x 5.5 mm (about 7 carats); pear shaped turquoise cabochons measure approx 10.5 x 6.8 x 4, and 10.75 x 7 x 4.2; seed pearls (25) measure approx 2 mm.