Cut Steel Dangle Earrings

POLINA Special Earrings 18K Yellow Gold EARRINGS With natural PERIDOT and Diamonds 18K Y - 16.13gm 60 Round Diamonds -0.41 ct 8 Peridot -18.11 ct one pair only! rare to find same...

Lovely 18 Karat Satin Yellow Gold and Diamonds "Serpenti" Drop Earrings, hand-crafted with lost-wax casting technique. Lost-wax casting, one of the oldest techniques for creating je...

Red Garnet Love Antique Georgian period, 1800 ca, beautiful necklace made during the time of solid 12 Kt gold Comprising a riviere necklace with a centrepiece in the shape of a flower with suspended finial, close back setting as for Georgian tradition, with approx 53.00 Ct of natural Almandine Garnets flat cut, firey and sparkly Necklace is 43 cm in length, clasp is 15 x 17 mm. – central is 27 x 55 mm. (h. x w.) Very good condition keeping with age Georgian Garnet jewellery...

Native American Vintage Zuni Sterling Silver and Turquoise Fringe Long Chandelier Earrings c. 1970s Length and width: 99.4mm x25mm Weight per earring: 6....

This beautiful set of leaf-themed diamond drop earrings features four marquise diamonds framed in micro-pave. The total weight of these earrings is approximately 7 carats. These flow...

Brilliant hues of violet, indigo and lavender are celebrated in Karma El Khalil's Lilac Nova Earrings. Each earring is an elegant waterfall of Lavender Quartz, Iolite and Tanzanite, ...

Absolutely superb example of Georgian cut steel. The way it sparkles and catches the light is just beautiful. This necklace sits perfectly flat and ...

YVES SAINT LAURENT vintage necklace and earrings (clip-on) set embellished with large irregular half faux pearls in a gold toned foliage setting. NECKLACE Marked Marked YVES SAINT L...

Any fan of cut steel would be unbelievably happy with this piece, it is in lovely condition and the reflective links are mesmerising! The detailed centre panel is a decorative leaf w...

Trickling Icicle Dangle Earrings feature Karma El Khalil's signature pyramid spike motif with white diamond studs and clusters of solid yellow gold pyramid spikes dangling down and f...

Cut steel jewelry was at the height of fashion from the mid 1700s well into the 19th century. Originated in the 1700s. Popular from the Georgian through the Victorian eras. To make cut steel, melted horseshoe nails were formed into tiny faceted beads. Those small steel gemstone-like studs were then riveted one-by-one onto a base plate. It was an English invention that quickly travelled throughout the world. Each stud could have up to 15 facets, and in general the finer and older the piece the more facets the studs will have. Improvements in candles meant that grand events and entertaining could take place at night. As diamonds are diamonds and not available for everyone, and everyone wanted to shine, the popularity grew. Cut-steel provided a stylish and popular new jewelry material that could be enjoyed by everyone at all levels of society. It grew beyond a simple imitation to an art in its own right. The manufacturing was complex and the workmanship that was required highly skilled. These were not mass produced objects. The studs were made from decarbonated cast steel, which was case-hardened, then the studs were faceted by cutting against a pewter wheel. Next were then polished with first fine emery and a hard brush, and then by hand with a special putty. Finally they were riveted onto pierced base plates which had to be drilled and cut by hand, too. The main place of cut steel production was Birmingham, England. And there, one manufacturer stood out from all the rest: Matthew Boulton. He had been born in 1728 into the industry — his father manufactured small metal products. But the younger Boulton had a special talent for marrying the latest technology with the latest fashion. He also was continually expanding — he even founded a mint. He wined and dined with dignitaries and advocated for his steel products. Fortuitously, he became quite close with the Russian ambassador to Catherine the Great. When the ambassador toured the mint, Boulton made sure to send the Empress some of his cut-steel necklaces. In 1759, Louis XV “encouraged” the nobility to donate their gold and gemstone jewelry to help fund the Seven Years War. The popularity of cut steel in France may in part have been due to these sumptuary laws which limited who could wear precious metals and diamonds. Either you complied with the law and gave up your family jewels to be melted down for the war chest...

BALENCIAGA vintage matte gold toned necklace and earrings set featuring spirals. NECKLACE Spring closure. Marked BALENCIAGA Paris Made in France. Indicative measurements : max. leng...