Enthralling Etruscan Revival Keepsake Brooch c. 1865

Caroline's Jewelry with a Past is offering a bold Etruscan, Roman or Achaeological Revival hand crafted garnet keepsake brooch in 15kt. yellow gold c. 1865. This piece is expertly made with 9 cabochon cut, oval and round shaped, bezel set, deep maroon natural garnet gemstones (in this period, called carbuncles). The burgundy colored garnets feature the center stone of 14mm. round X 8mm. deep, or 10.5 carats. This garnet is raised above a concave indentation and surrounded by wire rope twisting and chain rope twisting, a form of granulation. Circling around the center garnet are 8 oval shaped deep, burgundy red garnets, each 9mm. long X 6mm. wide X 5mm. deep, or 2.0 carats each. These feature a figure 8 wire rope twisting design. The chain rope twisting circles the center of the piece, as well as, the outside edge. The total gemstone weight is 26.5 carats. Altogether, the piece is a triumph of the jewelry craft. The reverse has a small pull out compartment for a memento complete with silk. The brooch is 1-5/8" round. It has a C-clasp closure and weighs 22.3 grams.

Archaeological Revival jewelry featured fine gold wires twisted into intricate shapes, such as scrolls, coils, rosettes, or tendrils and ropes. It was popular in jewelry styles in the 1820's through 1870's. Granulation was a technique that applied gold to a surface metal using heat, but without the appearance of having been soldered. This design work has been used since ancient times and became popular again during the mid 19th. century when the great archaeological explorations were being conducted in Italy, Egypt, Sumeria, Turkey and elsewhere that jewelry was found using this technique.

The gold content of this piece has been tested using standard accepted testing methods, such as acid testing. The garnet sizes were calculated using a standard jeweler's caliper. The garnets were tested using a jeweler's stone tester. The stones were not removed from the piece to do physical testing or for weight.