Circa 1880’s, this round medallion has Rose Cut diamonds set in a pattern representative of the North Star, with a sheath of wheat tied together by a crescent moon. The 18k gold is pierced and carved out for each diamond setting, allowing light to shine through. When flipped, the pattern created on the backside is reminiscent of a constellation. The 18k gold has an acid wash finish that gives the medallion a gorgeous matte patina.
Wheat is a popular motif in Victorian jewelry, and is symbolic of prosperity, fertility, and productiveness. The carving in this medallion has a beautiful composition that gracefully extends into a half-loop on one side. The bright cut work creates an eight-point star around the largest diamond and gives beautiful detailing to the sheath of wheat.
The piece weighs 7.45 grams. It has a diameter of 1 1/8” with a large oval bail that is 9 x 5 mm, perfect for accommodating a larger chain. There are some subtle scratches on the surface of the medallion, appropriate for a piece of this age, but because of the matte finish, they cannot be polished out, as they typically could be with shinier gold.
There are 12 Rose Cut diamonds ranging in size from 3.3 mm to 1.3 mm.
