Sterling Silver Open Circle Link Necklace

Channel the circle of life and look good in the process with this beautiful sterling silver open circle necklace. Featuring 36 inches of linked, sterling silver circles in various sizes, this unusual necklace is light, comfortable, and pairs beautifully with just about any outfit. It secures to the neck with a simple lobster-claw clasp.

Archaeological-revival necklace attributed to Fontenay

ANTWERP, September 16 – It is with great pride that we offer this magnificent necklace here. A true museum piece that we are thrilled to have in our collection.

The continuous uniform fringe decorated with beads, wirework and florettes of this necklace is typical for the work of Eugène Fontenay. A demi-parure of very similar design is illustrated in French Jewelry of the Nineteenth Century, Henri Vever, translated by Katherine Purcell, p. 643. and a similar necklace plus matching earrings were sold last year at Sotheby's for $ 52,000!

The archaeological revival is the appellation for neo-styles of the 18th and 19th centuries that where inspired by discoveries in the excavations of Roman, Egyptian, Hellenistic and Etruscan sites. The first revival in the 18th century, which is called neoclassicism, came after excavations of the cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum. The second revival was inspired by finds in Etruscan burial sites (in Italy). In jewelry, this style is characterized by granulation and filigree decorations.

There is some discussion among experts on who rediscovered the granulation technique. To some it was Castellani in the 19th Century but various methods of manufacturing and handling of granules have been described by Pliny in 79 AD, V. Biringucchio in 1540, G. Agricola in 1556, B. Cellini in 1568, M. Fachs in 1595 and A. Libavius in 1597/1606. In fact never since it was first used has granulation been a lost art. Until far into the 19th Century, the time of its alleged 'rediscovery', this technique has thrived continuously in many places like Russia, Bulgaria, Mongolia, Tibet and Persia. This also holds true for Swiss, German and Dutch folk-jewelry.

Eugène Fontenay (1823-87) was one of the foremost goldsmiths in France during the second half of the nineteenth century. He was a great admirer of the ancient techniques of granulation and filigree, and became best known for his outstanding work in the 'archaeological' style. Fontenay was no doubt inspired by the Campana collection of ancient jewellery, acquired by Napoleon III in 1860, and his firm produced much work in the antique style based on Greek, Roman and Etruscan examples.

Click the picture to see a close-up of this magnificent necklace.

Antiqualy yours,
The Adin team
www.adin.be

P.s. Perhaps you know someone who might be interested in receiving our mails? Forward them this mail and they can subscribe themselves at: our subscription page

See our:
latest acquisitions
complete inventory
or read our explanations on:
extensive antique jewelry glossary
antique jewelry style overview

New Work

Nevada variscite and sterling silver necklace

California pink tourmaline and sterling silver necklace

California green tourmaline and recycled sterling silver ring, size 6.5

Fair trade Purple Sage Chalcedony and sterling silver earrings

Diamond & Sterling Silver Infinity Necklace

This dazzling piece is crafted of sterling silver and features an infinity pendant set with 0.25 carats of diamonds. The pendant hangs from double strands of link chain. Necklace adjusts from 16" - 18".

Sterling Silver Mesh Necklace

Mesh Necklace that will go nicely with that little black dress hiding at the back of the closet. Now you have a reason to take it out for a trip to that nice little restaurant downtown.

The Basics Behind Michelle Obama's Look - Necklace

This look is sure to become a fashion trend. On the cover of the January 18, 2009 issue of Parade magazine, Michelle Obama wears a sleeveless dress in the purple family with three neckline embellishments. These embellishments may be an actual part of the dress. However, this look is very easy to duplicate with brooches or label pins.

Michelle Obama’s Look

Her necklace shows three embellishments. All three are circular in shape; the two side pieces flanking the center are smaller – about ½ the size in diameter. The color combinations are both complementary and a tint.

The larger circle piece is orange, yellow and lime green in color. These colors are complementary to the color of the dress, which is purple. The two smaller circles are lavender, which is a tint of purple. A tint is the color plus white.
Duplicate Michelle Obama’s Look

To make sure this look works, address these three factors:

1. Select brooches or pins that are not too heavy
2. Pick a garment made from fabric with body that is fairly close-fitting at the neckline
3. Choose brooch colors that harmonize with each other and the garment

If the brooches are too heavy and the garment fabric has too much give, the look just will not work. The neckline will fall forward from the chest area, creating an unattractive gap that will hide the brooches.

Carefully consider the color combinations. Complementary colors are those that are opposite each other on a color wheel. A complete color wheel, available at any arts and crafts store, will show the complementary color combination for primary, secondary and tertiary colors. It is visually very striking to pair complementary colors. The key to pairing complementary colors is to make sure that one is dominant.
Where to Find Brooches

Amazon.com has a wide array of beautiful costume brooches in all sizes. The image shown on this page is by Pugster and will make an attractive complementary center brooch for yellow/green or turquoise garments. Tonally, it would also work on a purple garment. The brooch retails on Amazon.com for $19.32. To create interest make sure the accent brooches are approximately ½ the size of the center brooch.

Check out what is already available in household jewelry boxes. The brooches don’t necessarily have to be circular in shape. Maybe there is a favorite pin such as the cat image shown on this page. Combine that with two small circular or triangular gold label pins for a striking look on a black garment.

It’s easy to make a trio of pins. The star image shown on this page is a hand-crafted pin given as a Christmas present a couple of decades ago. Make a similar one by purchasing a tin pin form at a craft shop. Glue beads and other decorations to the pin form with craft glue.

Experiment with the look. Run the three brooches vertically down the center front of the garment or attach them to the lapel of a jacket. They’ll also look fashion forward attached to a fabric purse.

"To Be Continued" Jewelry!

There are three very popular pieces of jewelry that can be added to for significant occasions, like birthdays, anniversaries, and the birth of a child:

• The Mother's Ring
  
• The Add-a-Pearl Necklace
  
• The Diamond Eternity Ring
  

THE MOTHER'S RING

This is a ring that holds all the birthstones of a mother's children. Some parents choose to include the mother's birthstone, and even the mother and father's birthstones. There are many styles that can hold up 16 stones. Sixteen children? Am I serious? Yes, but those rings hold both the children's, and the grandchildren's birthstones.

Mother's rings are enormously popular and are a great source of pride and joy for mothers. Today, there is also an entire line of what's called "family jewelry" that uses the same principle of adding birthstones for each child. Pendants and pins are popular types of family jewelry.

THE ADD-A-PEARL NECKLACE

This is a necklace that comes with a select number of pearls initially, either in a uniform size, or tapered, with a large pearl in the center. Loved ones and friends can then buy single pearls on a card for birthdays, Christmas, and so forth, and the new pearls are added to the necklace by restringing. I often sold a beginner's pearl necklace to grandparents upon the birth of a granddaughter, and then they would continually buy pearls to be added with the goal of the granddaughter having a full strand of pearls by her 18th or 21st birthday.

THE DIAMOND ETERNITY RING

Usually, the husband will buy this ring for his wife on their tenth anniversary, and it will have ten diamonds already set in it, one for each year. Then each year, he returns it to the jeweler, and adds a diamond, until the entire circle of the band is filled with diamonds.

What's really nice about these "to be continued" pieces of jewelry is that people always know that there's something they can buy as a gift that will be greatly appreciated, and will definitely not be returned!

"To Be Continued" Jewelry!

There are three very popular pieces of jewelry that can be added to for significant occasions, like birthdays, anniversaries, and the birth of a child:

• The Mother's Ring
  
• The Add-a-Pearl Necklace
  
• The Diamond Eternity Ring
  

THE MOTHER'S RING

This is a ring that holds all the birthstones of a mother's children. Some parents choose to include the mother's birthstone, and even the mother and father's birthstones. There are many styles that can hold up 16 stones. Sixteen children? Am I serious? Yes, but those rings hold both the children's, and the grandchildren's birthstones.

Mother's rings are enormously popular and are a great source of pride and joy for mothers. Today, there is also an entire line of what's called "family jewelry" that uses the same principle of adding birthstones for each child. Pendants and pins are popular types of family jewelry.

THE ADD-A-PEARL NECKLACE

This is a necklace that comes with a select number of pearls initially, either in a uniform size, or tapered, with a large pearl in the center. Loved ones and friends can then buy single pearls on a card for birthdays, Christmas, and so forth, and the new pearls are added to the necklace by restringing. I often sold a beginner's pearl necklace to grandparents upon the birth of a granddaughter, and then they would continually buy pearls to be added with the goal of the granddaughter having a full strand of pearls by her 18th or 21st birthday.

THE DIAMOND ETERNITY RING

Usually, the husband will buy this ring for his wife on their tenth anniversary, and it will have ten diamonds already set in it, one for each year. Then each year, he returns it to the jeweler, and adds a diamond, until the entire circle of the band is filled with diamonds.

What's really nice about these "to be continued" pieces of jewelry is that people always know that there's something they can buy as a gift that will be greatly appreciated, and will definitely not be returned!