Victorian Revival Pearl Serpent Bracelet

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Victorian Revival Pearl Serpent Bracelet

About the Item

This ravishing and utterly unique serpent bracelet was created near the 1940s in the Victorian style. Twenty-five saltwater pearls strung on 15K (at least) gold are capped on either end with the head and tail of an endearingly charming serpent. The head features a coronet-set cabochon of natural teal blue tourmaline measuring approximately 11.45mm x 9.94mm and weighing about 3,5 carats. A halo of rocky old diamonds and white sapphires add irresistible sparkle. The eyes look like tiny rubies, but we believe them to be garnets. The tail of the serpent features a slender platinum V into which have been set a trio of small, old-cut warm-toned diamonds. Fabricated entirely by hand, this bracelet is a fascinating joy to inspect beneath the ruthless eye of the jeweler's loupe -even the twenty-four small gold rings that separate each luscious pearl were created by hand and not machine. Every millimeter of the gold has been painstakingly hand-worked with old-school tools, and the result is a piece of such exceptional quality that it will still be magnificent a century from today. To the surprise of no one, this bracelet was worn and adored. There is wear to the pearls but their nacre is so absurdly thick and luxurious, it simply doesn't matter. Lesser pearl bracelets would be worn down to their inner shell beads, but not this one. The pearls are a creamy, light golden tone and look like the not-yet-perfected large cultured Akoya pearls of the era. For pearl lovers like myself, these pearls are simply the best pearls. They range in size from 7.54mm near the tail to 8.75 near the head. The bracelet is 9" in length and springs back to its original shape quite well because the gold wire upon which the pearls have been strung is quite thick. So this could fit nearly any size wrist. I spent hours searching but could find no maker's mark. Nor is there any metal fineness stamp. I tested the gold and it seems to me to be just slightly below 18K, so I've called it 15K. Make no mistake: this is a treasure from an old Connecticut estate. You'll want to wear it while you watch Sunset Boulevard and have popcorn drizzled with butter: the real stuff.

Metal:
15k Gold
Stone:
Pearl,Tourmaline
Stone Cut:
Cabochon
Weight:
41 g
Dimensions:
Length: 9 in (228.6 mm)
Style:
Victorian
Period:
Late 19th Century
Date of Manufacture:
1890
Condition:
Wear consistent with age and use.
Seller Location:
Southbury, CT
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU1589117312842