Smoky Quartz Oyster Shell Brooch with diamond | 18ct gold fitting | Victorian c.1880s
Smoky Quartz Oyster Shell Brooch with diamond | 18ct gold fitting | Victorian c.1880s
POA
Description
Carved in luminous smoky quartz and set with a sparkling old-cut diamond, this beautifully made Victorian brooch takes the form of an open oyster shell - a poetic symbol of hidden beauty and feminine strength.
There’s wit in the choice: a 0.40ct diamond where a pearl might sit, elevating a simple shell into something quietly luxurious.
It’s a small piece, but one that shows real thought and craft.
The shell motif held deep meaning in the late 19th century: linked with birth, love, the sea, and pilgrimage, it was also associated with Venus and classical ideals of beauty.
Just 2.5cm wide, this brooch was likely worn as a quiet accent, a subtle, imaginative piece for someone with an eye for the unusual.
Today, pinned to a cashmere jumper or a neckline, it’s still effortlessly chic still stylish, and still witty, and just intriguing enough to make someone look twice.
Available exclusively at ELTONS, Grays Antique Market, Mayfair, London.
For more information or to purchase this piece online, please visit our website at www.eltonantiquejewellery.com
E L T O N S
| item details | |
|---|---|
| Origin | British |
| Period | 1910s |
| Materials | Gold |
| Main Gemstone | Diamond |
| Main Gemstone Carat | approx 0.40 carats |
| Diameter | 2.5cm |
Product REF: 532P
