Posted 13 years ago
comptoir-d…
(21 items)
Those precious jewels are a picture of history
Whem diamonds becomes vulgar, those "bijoux de modestie" were the top of the fashion .
Acier de Berlin around the revolution were the modest glittering womans parure
Acier de Plombieres ,during the Victorian area,were brought back from " les eaux"
Just to fill in a little bit of the "history" here.
In other times you went to thermal spas for a cure. The Romans did it and we do so today. An ancient site is in France at Plombières-les-Bains. Mineral waters, mineral spas: the monerals were lead, zinc and iron. "Plomb" in French is lead; nicely "Pb" is Lead in chemistry classes! Fer: Fe = Iron etc..
The word 'acier' means steel. Steel jewellery was more politically correct after the Revolution. I think we call it pierced iron jewellery.
You went to the town for a 'cure'.
You came back with a souvenir:" les bijoux de modestie"
How politically correct of you!
To give an idea of the history, Wikipedia says:
Plombières-les-Bains is a commune in the Vosges department in Lorraine in northeastern France. Les bains refers to the hot springs in the area, whose properties were first discovered by the Romans. In succeeding centuries, its baths were visited by Montaigne, Voltaire, the Dukes of Guise, the Dukes of Lorraine, Beaumarchais, Napoleon Bonaparte, Joséphine de Beauharnais, Napoléon III, Berlioz, Lamartine and Alfred de Musset.
Check out this site for the relationship with Hector Berlioz:
http://www.hberlioz.com/France/Plombieres.htm
This stuff is as well crafted as any piece of gold.
The steel texture made them "not valuable" and keep them from destruction.
So they are precious treasure to collect.
1700's Diamonds are Queen and king treasures,those miniature framed with iron too.
The work of stamped pearls is perfect.
It is real pleasure to wear them,seen the nice glittering frame around your neck