Antique Vintage Art Deco Retro 18k Gold India Mughal Tourmaline Wedding Earrings

Description

We have similar Mughal and Retro items, which would pair nicely with this piece, up for auction this week. To view in separate listings, please visit our store and search "Mughal" and "Retro" under our auction items.
Listing Description by: Angela A.
The Piece
Auction Estimate:
,000 - ,000
Age Circa:
Retro C. 1940 - 1950
Markings:
"750" on the backings, tested, and guaranteed
Country of Origin:
India
Brand:
Unknown
Gram Weight:
25.1 grams
Metal Type:
18k yellow gold, 18k white gold diamond settings
Item Weight Value:
,090.00 (value all-inclusive weight)
Material:
--
Main Stone:
Tourmaline
Main Stone Measurements/Color:
Carats:
approximately 100.43 carats total
Teardrop cabochons:
22.85 mm & 22.07 mm long, 20.44 mm & 20.31 mm wide, 8.82 mm & 8.94 mm depth
Oval cut:
15.98 mm & 15.85 long, 11.92 mm & 11.97 mm wide, 6.92 mm & 5.79 mm depth
Oval cut with floral carvings:
14.38 mm & 14.1 mm length, 10.70 mm & 10.73 mm width, 7.13 mm & 6.82 mm depth
Color:
semi-translucent light green hue with lighter green inclusions, semi-translucent deep green hue, semi-translucent olive-green hue
Accent Stone:
Transitional Cut Diamond, Aquamarine
Accent Stone Measurements/Color:
Aquamarine
: 3.08 carats total, 8.69 mm & 8.8 mm length, 7.02 mm & 6.88 mm width, 4.99 mm & 5.29 mm depth, semi-translucent pale blue hue
Diamond:
0.36 carats total, 1.75 mm, sparkling and colorless
Antique diamond measurements do not correspond to modern diamond carat weight estimation guides as the stones were hand-cleaved and less uniform.
Stone Treatment:
The stones appear to be untreated, but we are not certified gemologists. Stone(s) have been tested and guaranteed using a professional Presidium Duo refractive, heat, and hardness tester.
Stone Cuts:
Oval cabochon, fancy carved diamond-shaped cabochon, and oval floral carving tourmaline; transitional cut diamonds; pear cut aquamarine
Earring Style:
Dangle
Earring Backing Style:
Posts with omega backings; this converts into a clip-on backing by folding down the post. Your local jeweler can easily convert these to the preferred backing style you desire.
For Pierced or Non-Pierced Ears:
Both
Item Measurements:
Length:
2.78"
Width:
0.80"
Notable Features:
These earrings were handmade during the Retro era. Composed of 18k yellow and white gold, the earrings feature huge tourmaline stones, aquamarine stones, and sparkling diamonds.
The style of the piece suggests it was made in India in the style of Mughal wedding jewelry, which was fashionable during the Retro era. Known for their ornate and elaborate jewelry, Mughal pieces typically features high purity gold, intricate designs, and generous use of precious, colorful stones, qualities which can be seen in this pendant. Often, Mughal style jewelry was purchased by English soldiers stationed in India, who would purchase such pieces as gifts to send back home to loved ones or to use as wedding jewelry.
The total of six tourmaline stones measure an impressive cumulative carat weight of approximately 100.43 carats. The stones feature deep green, paler green, and olive-green hues which make the earrings impossible to miss. The tourmalines' varying oval and diamond-shaped cabochon cuts allow for lovely display of this hue, as well as allowing light to filter through their semi-translucent bodies from multiple angles. The two oval cabochon tourmaline rest securely in 18k yellow gold prong settings, the vibrant hue of the yellow gold a striking contrast to the cooler green hues of the tourmaline. The largest, dangling diamond-shaped tourmaline stones were set in yellow gold wire settings, providing the earrings with eye-catching swaying movement when worn. In the center of the earrings rests the olive green tourmaline that was carved to depict the image of a floral motif.
In addition, a total of twelve transitional cut diamonds adorn the earrings, each with a sparkling, colorless hue. The cool hues of the diamonds' white gold bezel settings provides a natural complement to the eye-clear hues of the diamonds. The diamonds rest in clusters of three on each side of the floral-carved tourmaline. Beneath these, two aquamarine stones adorn the earrings, drawing the eye with the pale blue hues. These aquamarine contain pear faceted cuts which provide the earrings with striking sparkle when they catch the light. With so many colorful and sparkling stones, these earrings would have been popular during the glamorous Retro period.
These gorgeous earrings are completed with 18k yellow gold convertible omega backings, making them suitable for pierced ears. The posts of the omega backings also fold down, making the earrings able to be worn on unpierced ears in the clip-on style. The generous use of 18k yellow gold in the earrings gives this item an impressive item weight value of ,090. The incredible use of so many gemstones in this piece is a clear evocation of the glamorous and decadent jewelry associated with the Mughal period.
A classic example of the Mughal jewelry that was popular during the Retro era, these earrings would make a valuable addition to any antique jewelry collection. Don't miss your chance to preserve this piece of cultural history.
Damage:
Age appropriate wear.
*This listing is for the item only. All display boxes and/or photography props do not come with your purchase.*
The History
Retro jewelry refers to pieces created in the 1940s and 1950s. This was a period during which jewelry designers were largely influenced by the changes stemming from World War II. These designs reflect an infusion of futuristic vision with elements inspired by preceding periods, encompassing a variety of gemstones, shapes, and materials. Materials used commonly in Retro jewelry are gold, gold alloys, and silver as the wartime put a restriction on the use of platinum. Designs can be masculine, geometric and modern, or softer, more feminine and floral.
Mughal jewelry emerged in India during the Mughal dynasty, beginning in the 16th century. Jewelry was an important symbol indicating a person’s status in society. The elite wore highly ornate and massively jeweled pieces. As the Mughal empire conquered the majority of India, the Mughal style spread to many other regions, being incorporated into many Indian cultures. Pieces usually display intricate designs, massive amounts of gemstones, and elaborate enameling.
Tourmaline is a semi-precious gemstone that comes in a wide array of colors and has been fundamental in jewelry for centuries. The Empress Dowager Cixi, the last Empress of China, loved pink tourmaline and bought large quantities of the stone from the Himalaya Mine, located in California, which, along with Maine, was one of the world’s largest tourmaline mines in the world.
The successor to the Old European cut diamond, the Transitional Cut diamond, also known as the Early Modern Cut, became fashionable during the 1920s and was used until the late 1940s, which saw the introduction of the Ideal and Modern Round Brilliant cuts. Invented by stone cutters working under Henry D. Morse, the Transitional Cut was created using a steam-powered diamond lathe, a relatively new invention at the time.
Transitional Cut diamonds typically feature a larger table, lower crown, and smaller culet in comparison to Old European and Old Mine cuts. There was little standardization of what parameters these hand-faceted stones had to meet, so they are known for their wide variety of facet numbers and range of proportions. Because Transitional Cut diamonds enjoyed popularity for a relatively short period of time and were often re-cut into more modern cuts as they were introduced, very few transitional cut diamonds have survived into the modern age and are highly sought after by collectors.
A stunning variety of the mineral beryl, aquamarine was named after the Latin word for seawater. Aquamarines with visible flaws are uncommon and the cost of producing synthetic aquamarine is high, therefore most aquamarine gems are natural. Light blue topaz is often mistaken for aquamarine. The large size of its crystal lattice makes many of its specimens ideal for faceting into larger sized gemstones, and thus it is seen in many opulent designs from various periods in time. Royalty commonly favored these large, precious stones. Varying in color from light blue to light green, its subtle beauty carries over well into a wide variety of jewelry styles. The value of aquamarine is often based on how limpid, or clear, it is in appearance.
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