Italian carvers began to use shells for their creations in the early 1880's. Most commonly, cameos portrayed the faces or images of Romanesque women. Most often they had upswept hairstyles and some were even adorned with jewelry. The cameos usually depicted the portrait of the "idealized" woman or god's and goddesses from mythology.
These gorgeous shell cameo earrings are hand carved and from the Retro (ca1940s) era. Each oval-shaped cameo is held within a 14k yellow gold bezel setting, which displays lovely milgrain details. The beautiful face of the woman is highly detailed, and her locks are balanced atop her head in a tousled updo. Resting on her neck is a sterling chain and pendant that has a single diamond set within it. The wire chain of the necklace is riveted through the cameo and ties in the back. The cameos are also surrounded by a braided border, which further adds to the dainty beauty of these earrings. The earrings are completed by simple 14k earring wires. These lovely earrings would make a lovely addition to any collection!
Measurements: Each earring hangs approximately 1 1/4" long, is 3/4" at its widest point, and slightly more than 1/8” at its deepest point.
Condition: The overall condition of the earrings is excellent. Besides normal surface wear, there is no apparent damage to the gold setting or to the cameos, and both diamonds are intact. The earring wires are secure and in working condition.
