About this Piece
| Era: | Victorian |
| Length: | 1 1/4” (including bail) |
| Width: | 3/4" |
| Material: | Tests for gold plate, natural rock crystal |
| Weight: | 10 grams |
| Mark: | No mark |
Why You’ll Love It
A bold and ornate example of the Victorian watch fob charm. Recessed and raised designs in a gold-plated setting, with a vibrant yellow hue, showcase the detailed foliate and scroll motif. Bright shimmer catches the eye from the charm's base, where a foil-backed natural crystal is flush-set with a rounded emerald cut. Pristine foiling at the back of the stone gives the crystal a unique, inner glow. Ready for a favorite chain or charm bracelet, its 3-dimensional design shines from all angles.
Condition and Quality
| ● | Bright patina with minor surface wear to the plating. No dents. |
| ● | Fresh sheen, bright foiling, and no chipping on the rock crystal. |
| ● | Secure, original bail. |
Collector Note
On Watch Fobs. Watch fob jewelry surged in popularity during the Victorian era, embodying the era's emphasis on sophistication and intricate craftsmanship. These decorative accessories were primarily intended for pocket watches, serving both practical and aesthetic functions. Distinguished by elaborate engravings, gemstones, and artistic motifs, watch fobs became prominent fashion statements for both men and women. Victorian sentimentality was evident in the incorporation of lockets, miniature portraits, or personal mementos into these fobs. Reflecting the period's love for symbolism, these enduring pieces allowed wearers to convey their affections, allegiances, or beliefs through artfully designed symbols.
On Victorian. A young Queen Victoria assumed her role in 1837 and her taste in jewelry quickly became culturally influential, within England and beyond. Her relationship to jewelry was enmeshed with her husband, Prince Albert, who gifted the Queen for their engagement, a snake ring, embedded with an emerald (her birthstone) in its head. Continuing from the Georgian era and intensified by Queen Victoria’s taste, sentimental and figural jewelry was a major trend throughout the Victorian era. When certain ideas and words were deemed too forward or improper to be spoken, jewelry and symbolic meaning was used to communicate what was left unsaid.