Fox hunting was banned in the early 21st century in England, and rightly so - it’s a pretty barbaric sport. But in the late 19th century when this jewel was made, fox hunting was one of the great pastimes of the UK’s aristocratic class. Diamond-studded foxy here originally would have topped a stickpin. He’s made in silver and gold with ruby cabochon eyes.
thedetails
- Materials
14k gold (tests), silver, 2 1mm ruby cabochons, 29 old European cut diamonds (ranging from 1mm to 1.5mm), new 14k gold chain
- Age
c. 1900
- Condition
Very good - converted from a stickpin into a pendant at some point in time
- Size
1/2" length including the bale, 3/8" width, 18" chain
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Aboutthe
EdwardianEra
1900 — 1910
The jewelry tended toward airy lightness, often in the form of lacy filigree. The world was changing rapidly, but lots of the jewelry still reflected the Victorian ideals of decorum and femininity. Ancient Roman and Greek influences remained popular. “White” jewelry became popular as plentiful deposits of platinum were discovered in Russia and improved smelting technology made it possible for jewelers to work in the noble metal. Platinum was seldom used by jewelers in earlier years owing both to its scarcity and high melting point. The jewelry trade took advantage of its rigid strength to create opulent openwork settings for increasingly brilliant diamonds. The old European cut was perfected, rounder and squatter than old mine. This took stone-cutting one step closer to the mathematically perfect round brilliant cut, which is the most popular diamond cut today. The now-iconic square Asscher cut was patented in 1902. Hot on the heels of platinum, the alloy mixture that produces white gold was formulated and patented in 1915 in New York City. With Europe in the grip of WW1, the American jewelry industry was poised to become a world leader and innovator.