Antique Vintage Nouveau 14k Gold Carved Sardonyx Cameo Mens Cufflinks Earrings

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Antique Vintage Nouveau 14k Gold Carved Sardonyx Cameo Mens Cufflinks Earrings:
$180.50

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The Piece
sale Estimate:$750 - $1,500
Age Circa: Art Nouveau C. 1890 - 1910
Markings:Unmarked, Tested, Guaranteed
Country of Origin: Unknown
Brand: Unknown
Gram Weight:12.8 Grams
Metal Type:14k Rose Gold
Metal Melt Value:$310.00 (Value All-Inclusive Weight)
Material: --
Main Stone:Sardonyx
Main Stone Measurements/Color:16 mm long by 13.75 mm wide with a visible depth of approximately 4 mm, Black with visible white and grey hues
Accent Stone: --
Accent Stone Measurements/Color: --
Stone Treatment:The stones appear to be untreated, but we are not certified Gemologists and cannot be sure.
Stone Cuts: Carved Cameo
Item Measurements:The cufflinks face measures 0.80\" long by 0.70\" wide by 0.33\" deep, not including the backings.
Convertible to Earrings: If desired, your local jeweler can most likely convert these cufflinks to earrings.
Notable Features:These cufflinks were handmade during the Art Nouveau era. The cufflinks feature intricately hand-carved sardonyx double cameos. The sardonyx has a black hue with a layer of white-to-grey in the middle. The double cameo was carved in the high-relief style, with details of two spartan soldiers on each cufflink. The maker of these cufflinks strategically used the color variation in the sardonyx to portray the two soldiers, with one soldier carved into the white portion of the stone and the other soldier carved into the black portion of the stone. A raised bezel setting secures the stone to the rest of the design, adding even more depth to this piece. The 14k rose gold design is simple, allowing the cameos to remain the focal point of these cufflinks. While beautiful as cufflinks, these pieces would also look amazing if converted into earrings by your local jeweler. Don\'t miss your chance to become a part of the history of these incredible cufflinks.
Damage: Age appropriate wear.
*This listing is for the item only. All display boxes and/or photography props do not come with your purchase.*
The History
The Art Nouveau era, 1890-1910, was also called \"La Belle Epoque\" in French, which translates to \"A Beautiful Time.” This was very true due to the gorgeous designs that came out of this period. This era focused on women and the beauty of nature and the pieces were often large. Enamel was a common material used in Art Nouveau jewelry as the period was more about the importance of the design over the materials used to create it. The Art Nouveau period happened before the start of the first world war, when mass manufacturing took over production of many products, including some jewelry.
A cameo is an image that has been carved in raised relief by cutting away the background of different materials to create a contrast in height and color. The earliest examples of cameos date back to the 3rd century BC. In antiquity, this was achieved by carving into a single piece of banded agate to reveal the layers of colors, but now it is much more common that cameos are made of two different materials. The most common form of fine jewelry cameo is created by layering a carved white shell on top of a stone of contrasting color with a flat plane. Cameos usually depict a beautiful or famous person in profile, or a mythological figure. The Romans were true artisans when it came to creating these pieces, so there are many Roman cultural influences found in cameos, even to this day. These are true miniature art works.
Sardonyx is a type of chalcedony that usually contains flat-banded, white and brownish-red bands. For most of sardonyx\'s history, it has been used to create cameos and intaglios. In Ancient Rome, women wore sardonyx necklaces containing cameos of Venus in the hopes of harnessing the powers of the goddess of love. Soldiers wore sardonyx rings and intaglios containing images of the Mars, the god of war, into battle with the hopes that the sardonyx jewelry would act as protection.All packages are sent via USPS First Class Insured Mail unless another shipping option is chosen by the buyer. Buy It Now items ship for free (domestically). Shipping on sale items are priced below. We do not undervalue packages for international customers as it is illegal. Please take this into consideration before placing your offer.

Gold: $8.00 + $1.00 per additional gold item & silver items combine for free
Silver: $4.00 + $1.00 per additional gold item & silver items combine for free

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