Monier French Romantic Platinum, Rock Crystal, Diamond and Sapphire Pendant

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Monier French Romantic Platinum, Rock Crystal, Diamond and Sapphire Pendant

About the Item

This romantic pendant by French sculptor and medallist Emile Monier features two lovers side-by-side on a balcony overlooking the sunset, with the entire scene embellished by floral decorations. It is inscribed “Il n'est de grand amour qu'à l'ombre d'un grand rêve” – which translates from French as “there can only be a great love in the shadow of a great dream.” The central platinum lovers motif is accented by three deep blue half-moon sapphires and set within a thin layer of lightly frosted rock crystal. The crystal itself is encapsulated by two layers of platinum in which rose-cut diamonds are individually set. This Emile Monier pendant marries an art nouveau-style central motif - with flowing organic, asymmetrical lines and floral themes - with an exterior decoration utilizing Edwardian-style Millegrain decoration. Although the Art Nouveau and Edwardian periods overlapped, individual pieces of jewelry typically adhered strictly to one style or the other; it is relatively unusual to find jewelry that incorporates notable elements of both. Rock Crystal Information: Rock crystal is challenging to use in jewelry - and this was especially so prior to modern automated cutting techniques when it was carved and polished by hand – and a single crack or error often wasted the entire effort. The rock crystal hand-carving used in this pendant would have been slow and exacting – Monier needed to precisely carve the crystal to the specific dimensions of the central platinum lovers motif; note how perfectly it is encapsulated within the crystal without any gaps or variation. Millegrain Information: Millegraine is a decorative technique in which metal edges are patterned with tiny spheres (see close-up photos of the pendant’s edge). In antique jewelry, this was a time-consuming process in which the spheres were individually hand-placed or ‘carved’ into place with a hand tool. The word translates from French as “a thousand grains.” Signed Emile Monier

Creator:
Emile Monier
Metal:
Platinum
Stone:
Crystal,Diamond,Rock Crystal,Sapphire
Stone Cut:
Round Cut
Dimensions:
Height: 1.28 in (32.52 mm)Width: 1.09 in (27.69 mm)
Style:
Art Nouveau
Place of Origin:
France
Period:
Early 20th Century
Date of Manufacture:
Circa 1920
Condition:
Seller Location:
Dallas, TX
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU1948210483542