Ethiopian Mezezo Chocolate Opal Specimen

Thirty-four solid opal beads totaling approximately 680.00 carats line the length of this eye-catching necklace. The graduated gems are an impressive size and perfectly matched, with each exhibiting a high level of translucence and a rainbow of colors. Opals are not cut into beads very often, as they are usually found in thin layers, and bigger deposits are exceptionally rare. Cutting the round structure also creates a great deal of excess– about 90% of the rough opal is cut away to create just one bead. To find 34 matching beads of this size and exceptional quality is extraordinary beyond compare. Opals are truly the stuff of legend. It was the Romans who first classified the black opal as a precious gemstone, believing that it was a source of good fortune. Since that time, the black opal has found its way into the crown jewels of many nations, including the Holy Roman Empire...

The cameo at the center of this exceptional pendant is a stunning example of the art of gem engraving during the Renaissance. It likely dates to the early 17th century and features a sacrificial scene inspired by the Greco-Roman era. The central flaming altar is flanked by two figures preparing to sacrifice a ram, while a figure in a lion skin blowing horns stands in the left corner. The carver brilliantly uses the natural layers of the stone to achieve the illusion of shadow and musculature on the figures. A second, smaller cameo is set at the top of the pendant, while a myriad of multi-colored gems, pearls and enamel adorns the 18K gold setting. A large Baroque pearl suspended from an enamel dragon finishes the design, which embodies the opulence and theatricality of jewels from the Renaissance age. Cameos and intaglios were highly popular amongst wealthy connoisseurs in Renaissance Italy, and owning the finest pieces was the privilege of princes. Although they were often elaborately mounted for display alone, cameos were also frequently worn as pendants, surrounded by enameled and stone-set gold frames. Such pieces were particularly prized by the Medici and Lorraine families, many of which can now be seen at the National Archeological Museum in Florence. Very few Renaissance cameos...

An exceptional piece - Art nouveau Opal Brooch from original catalogue of french jeweller Edouard Aimé Arnould, circa 1910 opal origin - Australia...

A necessity during the Victorian Era, hat pins not only balanced precarious hats atop piles of hair but also moonlighted as weapons against overzealous gentlemen. Though teetering ha...