This is a delicately crafted gold nugget chain, most likely from the Alaskan Gold Rush era around 1910. The chain consists of small, well-matched gold nuggets with elegantly crafted jump rings on either side, held together by oval links. The chain is handmade and well-crafted, as evident in the tiny divots carved on each end of the link to allow the nuggets to lay flat. A great chain for wearing alone or with pendants, this gorgeous piece adds rich subtle hues of high karat gold with subtle flickering texture created by the nuggets.
Gold nuggets are formed by hot fluids flowing through cracks deep in the Earth’s crust. Weather eventually releases the nuggets into streams and bodies of water, where they are shaped by erosion and time. The free form dimensions of gold nuggets are organic and poetic, highlighting the buttery hues and extraordinary crevices. Nuggets are a beautiful display of gold in its natural, unaltered state.
The chain measures 18 1/2” long. The average size of the nuggets are 3mm each. The chain weighs 9.7 grams. The gold nuggets test as 22k-24k gold, and the bails and links test as 14k.
