Mastery of Design: A Curious Sapphire Dress-Pin, 100-130

Dress Pin
Roman, 100-130
The British Museum

Here's a curious, but attractive bit of sparkle from The British Museum.  This Roman dress-pin dates to about 100-130.  A work of carved sapphire and wrought gold, the piece depicts the bust of a woman sporting an elaborate coiffure.  The odd part of the bust's hairdo is that, in the reverse, it reveals the face of a child.  Hmmmm...

A modern gold pedestal was added to the original wrought gold setting which included the small diamond that's still visible at the bodice of the bust.