Description
Date: c. 1820s, French Restoration period (La Restauration; Charles X)
Materials: milky white chalcedony, solid 14k gold (pink core, with a matte high-carat bloom; owl mark, tested with electronic gold tester and nitric-muriatic acid)
Weight: 13.9 grams
Marks: – [owl?] (partially illegible, punched at bail) for solid gold, hallmark reserved for previously finished but unmarked pieces later brought to a French assay office for examination and hallmarking
Height (including bail): 39.3 mm
Width (at maximal point): 36.7 mm
Depth: 25 mm
Dimension of chalcedony: 29 x 22 oval
Condition: the winged mermaids are well-preserved, with details crisp and bloom intact. There is age-related surface wear and possible evidence of repolishing to the bail and chalcedony bezel. The top gold bezel enclosing the chalcedony is particularly surface-worn, with fine scratches and a few pin-sized nicks. Two of the tiny grainetti decorations around the chalcedony setting is dented in the center. The chalcedony stone itself is in excellent condition, with no eye-visible blemishes.