AN IMPORTANT ANTIQUE DIAMOND CROSS PENDANT

Throughout the history of the necklace as a form of adornment, many styles have been created and recreated very much in keeping with their contemporary context: prevailing taste and style, current fashion, the availability of raw materials and the degree of development in manufacturing techniques and craftsmanship. For much of the eighteenth century, womens' fashion exhibited all manner of extreme and varied eccentricities: towering hairstyles and skirts extending sideways to distances of up to five metres. But one feature remained constant throughout this period: the deep decollete, which was common to both formal and informal garments, and which in turn made the necklace an essential form of ornament. Necklaces were usually short and worn high on the neck: indeed contemporary portraiture repeatedly shows a very high position, thus emphasizing the length and elegance of the wearer's neck. A distinct form consisted of a simple band of varying width designed to decorate the base of the neck, which could be further embellished by the addition of a central pendant, usually in the shape of a ribbon bow or a cross. Together with earrings then, necklaces were certainly the most popular form of jewel at this time, especially those mounted with diamonds, the ultimate status symbol for every woman of substance. A clear differentiation was made between day-time jewels and those worn at night or on formal occasions - a differentiation without precedent in the history of jewelry - and throughout the eighteenth century, the ownership of a diamond necklace or pendant for evening-wear remained a key aspiration of any family of means. This ubiquitous popularity was due to a combination of factors. The first and most important was the opening of diamond mines in the state of Minas Gerais in Brazil in 1723, just as the Indian mines of Golconda were being exhausted, resulting in a relative increase in availability of rough diamonds on the market. Historically, greater supplies of raw materials have tended to result in improved lapidary techniques, and the fashioning of diamonds certainly reached new heights of sophistication, improving upon the early prototypes of today's brilliant cut which had first been introduced in the latter parts of the seventeenth century. But it should be remembered that prior to 1880 and the dramatic discovery of deposits in South Africa, diamonds were still a very rare commodity, used in whatever sizes and cuts were available, and rarely matched for size or shape. This is one factor that makes the pendant seen here so unique: it was clearly considered an important jewel both in concept and creation, the unusual types of cuts being deliberately chosen and exquisitely executed. The eighteenth century also witnessed considerable progress in the field of setting and mounting techniques. As the fashion for diamond-set jewels increased, silver became the metal of choice for mounting, with gold continuing to be used for coloured stones. Silver naturally complemented the colour of diamonds, but owing to its tendency to tarnish, and the subsequent discolouring of skin and clothing, a gold layer was often applied to the back of silver mounts, forming a laminate of both metals which provided protection as well as added strength. Settings remained "closed" for most of the century however - the metal back entirely extending behind stones, until a major development: the widespread adoption of "open" or a jour settings. These at last allowed light to enter from behind, reflecting and refracting through gems, giving them greater depth and sparkle. Open settings were certainly not a new invention: written evidence confirms that jewels mounted with diamonds in this way were being made in England as early as 1702. But the technique was certainly not taken up in any major way by the jewelry trade until the last quarter of the century, when improvements were made to the jeweler's saw, probably the most important of all metal-cutting tools used by craftsmen. An initial transition period followed when jewels constructed with important diamonds, such as those seen here, would be set with open backs, while settings for smaller stones tended to remain closed. A third and final contributory factor to the prevailing popularity of diamonds was an improvement in the quality of domestic candle lighting. This meant that social occasions such as dinner parties, balls and masquerades, could be held in well-illuminated night environments, with diamond-set jewels shown off to best effect, catching and reflecting light as never before. Indeed colourless glass pastes, white topaz and rock crystal were extensively employed as diamond simulants, further indicating the omnipotence of the "diamond look" in this period. Yet it is very unusual to find eighteenth century jewels of high intrinsic value on the market, especially those which have successfully survived in their entire, original form. Most costly examples have been irrevocably lost, broken up in order for the gems to be remounted in more up-to-date ornaments, or stored for future needs. Given such a low survival rate, the pendant seen here is to be treasured for its sheer rarity. A universal symbol par excellence, the cross has always represented an element of continuity from ancient times to the present, but this example in particular provides a unique insight into the jewels of bygone eras.

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AN IMPORTANT ANTIQUE DIAMOND CROSS PENDANT
Each arm set with a hogback-cut diamond, enhanced by pear and old mine-cut diamond trefoil motif terminals, further accented by old mine-cut diamonds, mounted in silver and gold, circa 1790

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