Mastery of Design: A Pavé Turquoise and Diamond Necklace, circa 1850

Necklace
1850-1860
Turquoise, gold, diamonds
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Turquoise jewelry was quite popular in the mid-Nineteenth Century. The stone was loved for its rich color and its symbolic properties of unifying married couples. Usually set in yellow gold, turquoise rarely was combined with diamonds. That’s what makes this necklace so spectacular.


It’s a masterpiece of meticulously set pavé turquoise from Russia with Rose-cut and Brilliant-cut diamonds. The central bow is a later edition, coming ten years later—around 1860. The bow is certainly English in origin, while the necklace itself may be Russian. Due to its high quality workmanship, it is considered one of the most magnificent pieces in the jewelry collection of the V&A.