Mastery of Design: A Magnificent Emerald and Pearl Necklace, 1620-1640

Necklace
Gold, Enamel, Emeralds, Pearls
1620-1640
The Victoria & Albert Museum

This enameled gold necklace of scrolling openwork is set with emeralds and hung with pearls. In remarkable good condition, this necklace dates to about 1620-1640 and is the work of an unknown Italian maker.

Though we can’t say exactly who the maker is, we can deduce a few things about this necklace’s origins by the marks that it bears. It bears a French mark for articles from countries with customs conventions from 1864-1893. The mark indicates that the necklace came to France from Italy.

The quality of the gold, the style of the openwork and the make-up of the pearls tells us that this piece was most likely made in Sicily. The necklace clearly didn’t spend long in France. It was donated to the Victoria & Albert Museum in 1910.