Description
Date: 1878 (dated through inscription), Victorian era
Materials: natural pearls, blue enamel, solid 15k yellow gold (unmarked, tested with nitric & muriatic acid; inside of locket has been scored to certify solid gold)
Weight: 20 grams
Inscription: [C. E. L. to E. J. W – 20 · 7 · 78]
Workmanship origin: Great Britain
Sourced from: Leeds, UK
Height of locket: 57 mm (including bail), 44 mm (excluding bail)
Width of locket: 35 mm
Depth of locket: 12 mm
Dimension of star: 27 x 34 mm
Diameter of pearls: 4 mm (largest) – 1.75 mm (smallest)
Condition: Overall in great antique condition. The bail is secure and in good order. The locket closes tighty. All pearls are secure, and the blue enamel is entirely original. The cover glass is however a later plexiglass replacement (this is not obvious until one removes the inner photo cover). There are age-related surface scratches and wear to the gold, particularly to the back. The inside of the locket has three small, neatly scored parallel grooves, probably to certify or test the solid gold construction (rolled or plated gold will reveal base metal underneath if scored). Under 60x magnification, can spot some minor nibbling to the enamel (not visible to the naked eye).