This pair of 14K yellow gold belt style wedding cuffs dates to the 1870s, each bangle designed with an engraved buckle and latch motif filled with black enamel in a floral pattern. The gold has been acid tested as 14K yellow gold, and each cuff measures 3.25 inches in total diameter, with a circumference of 6.5 inches and a width of 5/8 inch. Each bracelet is secured by a hidden box clasp with a safety chain, one bracelet weighing 38.3 grams and the other 36.24 grams, for a combined total of 74.54 grams. Very small dents are present on the interior of the cuffs, consistent with their Victorian age.
The belt and buckle motif was a favored design in Victorian jewelry, often read as a symbol of being bound together in fidelity and marriage. Bangles like these were frequently given by a husband to his wife as a wedding present, and their substantial gold weight meant they also served as a form of financial security for a wife, an asset she could call on if needed. They were worn through the various stages of Victorian life, including periods of mourning, and were traditionally made and given in pairs. Over generations, pairs were often separated as they were passed down, with one bangle going to each daughter, which is a large part of why a complete matching pair like this one is genuinely rare to find intact today.
This pair suits a collector of Victorian gold jewelry...
Category
1870s Victorian Antique Continental US - Cuff Bracelets
Materials14k Gold, Enamel
