French Art Nouveau Plique-a-Jour Diamond and Pearl Lavaliere Necklace

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 and green plique-a-jour enamel, lined in glittering rose-cut diamonds. A luminous semi-baroque pearl with soft pink overtones 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 artisans fill unbacked cells with crystalline enamel, firing them several times until the final result shimmers with light and color like miniature stained-glass windows.

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

Metal: 18K yellow gold and platinum

Weight: 11.8 grams

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

Pearl: 9.24 x 6.71 mm, white semi baroque pearl with a pink overtone

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

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