DATE: 19th Century, c.1820

An exceptional pair of Georgian Day & Night earrings set with what are probably the finest paste gemstones I've ever seen. They're cushion cuts, and extremely clean and bright; each earring has a central graduated row with two further stones in the articulated drop, all accented by further clusters of tiny stones. The tops can be detached for wear on their own (day) or worn together as more elaborate pieces (night). They have French ram's head gold marks for 18 karat gold, and date from the 1820s - a time when paste stones could command as much money, if not more, than diamonds.

STONES 

White Paste Gemstones

MEASUREMENTS 

Full length: 7.8cm

Width: 1.8cm

Largest stone: 10.3 x 9.7mm

Tops: 1.7 x 1.0cm

WEIGHT 

24.2g

MARKS 

French Ram's Head gold marks - 18k gold, 1819 to 1839

CONDITION 

Excellent, small nibble to culet of one stone