Posted 10 years ago
Bluboi
(103 items)
This is one of my favorite necklaces -- the workmanship is superb, but it is a mystery. No marks, but it sure looks French. Might this be Arts & Crafts?
18K green and yellow gold pendant set with natural pearls, with 3 large stones from top to bottom: a .72 ct fancy light greenish yellow old mine brilliant diamond, a yellow-green emerald cut Hiddenite, and a 1.55 ct fancy yellowish-brown cushion modified brilliant diamond. Original chain.
Hiddenite is named after A.E. Hidden who discovered this stone in 1879 in North Carolina. The coloring agent is chromium, with the stone colors being yellow-green, green-yellow or emerald-green. Usually used with the step cut (emerald). Deposits are found in Burma, Brazil, Madagascar, North Carolina and California.
I can see why it's a favourite of yours, it a beauty.
So very beautiful!!...:-)
A very attractive piece with an extraordinarily rare gem in a rather large size. If the cushion diamond is 1.55ct, then the hiddenite must be 2-3ct?
However according to Wiki: "The size of most cut gems were small, with a 2ct hiddenite in the Augustus C. Hamlin collection being considered among the finest of the large stones".
So your piece would be very, very special on account of the large hiddenite, and no doubt it would have been commissioned to a top jeweler. I'm thinking Tiffany or one of the other top USA firms.
Is the white metal platinum, or white gold, (or silver?). This would help date the piece as white gold wasn't used until about 1915.
Oh my gosh, this is simply gorgeous. I am curious about the gold, it looks rather quiet, is that on purpose?
Thanks everyone for your comments.
Paul--I have GIA reports on the diamonds but forget whether I have one on the hiddonite. I will check. Don't know what the white metal is....
Katherine--yes, the gold is that color on purpose.
Very beautiful!!
Wow! Substantial stones! Graceful and intricate design, but not Arts and Crafts, though the foliage could make think of it. Rather end of Edwardian era in my opinion.
Hiddenite is a discover for me, very interesting writing Bluboi!
Speechless! ;)
Update from Paul's questions. I have GIA certs for the 2 diamonds, but none for the Hiddenite. So, off I went to my favorite jeweler who did his magic tests. The stone is of the Spodumene species which include Hiddenite and Kunzite. The best Hiddenite is emerald green (which this is not!), but it also comes in a light yellow and light green variety. So, it can be called Hiddenite, but it is the mundane version...
Stunning!!!