A Shield-Shaped Victorian Locket with Rubies and Diamonds, circa 1870

A compact Grand Victorian gold locket pendant, circa 1870, with a shield-like outline and a quietly playful line of rubies and rose cut diamonds across its front. The softly matt surface gives the jewel a restrained dignity, while the hinged compartment inside keeps its original sentimental purpose close. Small in scale, yet full of period character.

Jewellery Type
pendant, locket

Condition
good condition
more info on our condition scale

Country of origin
Although it does not carry any legible control marks we believe this to be of British origin.

Style
Victorian jewellery - This style refers to jewellery from circa 1837 to 1901 (Britain and the wider Western world). Typical features include gold and silver range from hand finished lockets to stamped pieces, set with garnet, turquoise or star set diamonds. Typical motifs include serpents symbolising eternal love, hearts, anchors and crosses (love, hope and faith), hands for friendship and fidelity, forget-me-nots, ivy and acorns, naturalistic flowers. The style was shaped by reign of Queen Victoria, Industrial Revolution and new technologies, British Empire and global trade routes, Great Exhibition of 1851, archaeological excavations and scholarship, including Pompeii and Troy.
more info on styles

Style specifics
Grand Victorian - This jewel belongs to the Grand Victorian period, roughly 1860 to 1880. This phase is often associated with more substantial jewels, diamonds, pearls, dark stones and mourning jewellery. The period followed the death of Prince Albert in 1861 and is closely associated with Queen Victoria’s mourning. At the same time, wealth, empire and international influences, including India and Japan, helped shape jewellery design.

Period
ca. 1870
Events & facts of this era, poetry of this era, fashion of this era.

Material 15K
yellow gold (touchstone tested)
more info on precious metals

Diamonds
Nine rose cut diamonds . We do not have the weight of the diamonds which is normal in our trade when it comes to rose cuts.

All diamonds in our antique and vintage jewellery, regardless of size or shape, are verified by the IJGC laboratory as natural.

Precious stones
Seven rubies with an approximate total weight of 0.24ct

All coloured stone weights stated are approximate unless otherwise noted, as stones are not removed from their settings in orde.
Gemstones are often treated to improve their colour or clarity. The stones in this piece have not been tested for treatment unless otherwise stated.

Birthstones
Diamond is the birthstone (or month stone) for April and ruby for July.
more info on birthstones

Hallmarks
The jewel is marked “15C”, indicating 15-carat gold. This mark strongly suggests a British or British-influenced origin, as 15-carat gold was a recognised British gold standard in the 19th and early 20th centuries, before being discontinued in 1932. We are not able to test the jewel specifically as 15K gold, but it has been tested against the gold standards commonly used here and tests at least as 14K gold.
more info on hallmarks

Dimensions
2,43 cm (0,96 inch) x 1,44 cm (0,57 inch)
see picture with a ruler in millimeters and inches

Weight
4,10 gram (2,64 dwt)

Adin Reference Nº
26106-0448

Copyright photography
Adin, fine antique jewellery

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