French Art Nouveau Plique-a-Jour Lavaliere Necklace

$7,200.00

Dating back to the first decade of the twentieth century, comes this enchanting feminine French Art Nouveau lavaliere necklace. Delicately hand fabricated in 18K gold and platinum, a graceful rose-cut diamond lined ribbon suspends a scalloped, teardrop shaped frame, filled with a luminous lavender pink plique-a-jour enamel, lined in glittering rose-cut diamonds. A large luminous pearl drop swings freely from the center of the frame, giving the jewel a bit of playful movement. Measures 15 1/2" in length. 

 

Plique-a-jour, French for "Light of Day", is one of the most challenging of the enameling techniques. Master craftsmen fill vibrant crystalline enamels into delicate unbacked cells then fire them several times. This process allows light to pass through, just like stained-glass.

 

 

Diamonds: European and rose-cut diamonds, estimated 1 carat

Metal: 18K yellow gold and platinum

Length: 15.5" with a 2 3/4" drop

Pearl: 14.29 x 10.30 mm cultured pearl

Markings: French assay marks, partial maker's mark crescent above a star

Notes: three tiny rose cuts missing, the cultured pearl and diamond drop is a replacement