These beautiful drop earrings are decorated with pietra dura inlay of peony flowers, set in elaborately decorated yellow gold borders. Their design is known as 'day-to-night' because they have removable drops, making them wearable in two ways.
Pietra dura is an ancient and intricate technique in which a hard stone mineral - often onyx - is inlaid with other coloured minerals. This particular example has been inlaid with delicately carved green, white and light blue agates, which give the peony flowers a realistic quality.
In the 19th Century, flowers were often used for symbolic properties. The peony flower symbolizes happiness, romance, and bashfulness.
These earrings were originally a set with the similar brooch that is also available. If you decide to buy the earrings and brooch together, the coupon code PIETRA will give you 15% off the complete set.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Size: Earrings: 64 x 20 x 6 mm.
Weight: Combined 10.64 grams.
Age: 19th Century, also known as the Victorian era, circa 1860s.
Material: Hallmarked with French export marks for 18k gold.
Condition: In good antique condition with minor wear, consistent with their age. One of the top pietra dura's in the earrings has a minute chip at the top of a rose.
Please note that the antique box is for display purposes only.