Garnets are fiery deep red minerals. In any Victorian Jewelry investigations, one should be aware of Composite Garnets. They are called composites because they are made of more than one part. For example, a piece of green glass topped with a slice of red garnet can be used to imitate an emerald or green garnet.
The garnet-topped doublet (GTD) is made of two parts and the junction between them can usually be recognized by the difference in lustre.
There may also be characteristic bubbles in the glass, which are not visible in non-composite garnets.
Best Wishes,
Yvonne Hammouda-Eyre
Rating
Pyrope Garnets by: Lucas
Hi sounds like a beautiful antique victorian brooch!
Can you tell us more about the color of the garents, I believe there were a couple of types of garnet that were used in the Victorian era. Pyrope garnets were also used in jewelry making and the color of Pyrope garnet is a red to reddish purple and sometimes a deep enough red to appear black!
Tina, I have a gorgeous Bohemian Garnet Ring that my husband bought me. I don't believe their are any gemstones that have the intensity and fiery red glow of Bohemian garnets. My antique garnet ring dates to 1890- 1910. The way I can tell is by the motif. It looks like a large snowflake of burning coals on my finger. In keeping with Victorian fashion, Garnet jewelry also became lighter coinciding with the emergence of lighter Victorian fashions. Antique Jewelry can often be dated in relation to Victorian fashions and I've found most people don't know his.
Enjoy your Victorian Garnets!!! Tracey
Rating
Victorian Garnets & Seed Pearl Jewelry by: Anonymous
Hi Tina thanks for writing in.
I'm not sure if you've answered your own question Tina, as the subject field says "1920s garnet & pearl brooch" however I'm leaning towards an earlier date.
The Victorians were nutty over garnets and seed pearls! The hinge on the back could be the most revealing. The tube hinge was used approximately 1890's and is just what is says. It's a pin stem attached to a central tube like structure and is set between the two end tubes which remain fixed.
A smaller, newer type of hinge was developed in the 1890s and is still used today.Seed pearls were used throughout the entire 18th and 19th centuries.
Some of the most beautiful victorian jewelry consists not of diamonds, rubies and emeralds but SEED PEARLS.
Astonishing pieces of Victorian seed pearl jewelry,can be comprised entirely of these tiny little pearls that were actually drilled somehow without them breaking and sewn onto mother-of-pearl background with horsehair!
At risk of sounding like I am beating my own drum, Jewelry Resources has some interesting info on many aspects of Antique Jewelry, Premier Jewelry & Pearls.
