What do the colours mean?

The combination of green, white and violet stands for give women votes, using the initial letters of the stones. Green represented hope, white stood for purity and violet denoted dignity. Jewellers arranged peridots, pearls and amethysts deliberately to convey this political message during the early twentieth century campaign.

Are these pieces Edwardian?

Most examples date from the Edwardian period or around nineteen ten, coinciding with the peak of the movement. Victorian and later pieces also appear in the records. The gold standards and stylistic elements like garland drops help anchor them securely within this broad timeframe.

How do I wear a lavalier?

A lavalier hangs lower on the chest than a standard pendant, usually suspended from a slender gold chain. They sit best against solid fabrics that allow the intricate goldwork to stand out. Care should be taken with the tiny seed pearls when fastening or storing the necklace.

Makers utilised both nine carat and fifteen carat yellow gold for these pendants. Fifteen carat gold provides a deeper, warmer tone common in better quality pieces. The metal is typically lightweight to let the gemstones catch the light from behind.