Late 19th Century 14k Gold Victorian Turquoise Bead With Matrix

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Description

This is a very old turquoise bead with an amazing, saturated rich color. Circa the Victorian era, the turquoise, a … Read more This is a very old turquoise bead with an amazing, saturated rich color. Circa the Victorian era, the turquoise, a porous stone, has accrued a patina that has made its coloring even richer and more vibrant with age. There is a beautiful patterning in its matrix, which is a different type of stone that serves as the host to the turquoise; in this piece, it is a dark brown that marbles throughout the bead. The turquoise has a sweet, flower-shaped 14k gold mount at both the top and bottom that allows the bead to rotate. The gold has also accrued a nice patina, indicating the age of the piece.

The bead measures 1/2” x 1/4”, plus a 5.7 mm round bail. It weighs 1.45 grams. Unmarked; acid tests as 14k. See less