Edwardian Pendant Necklace
An edwardian pendant necklace brings delicate goldwork and natural gems together in open, flowing designs.
Edwardian Pendant Necklace
The edwardian pendant necklace is defined by light, airy drops suspended from fine chains, often carrying the characteristic floral and foliate motifs of the early twentieth century.
Most pieces encountered here date from the period around 1900 to 1910, combining yellow and rose gold with vibrant coloured stones.
Surviving examples frequently merge Edwardian elegance with Art Nouveau curves, Arts and Crafts handworking, or the distinctive green, white, and violet stones of the Suffragette movement.
How They Were Made
Goldsmiths utilised nine-carat and fifteen-carat gold alongside sterling silver, mounting seed pearls and faceted gemstones in open-backed settings that allowed light to pass through.
Intricate piercing, millegrain edging, and wirework created the fluttering lines of lavalier and negligee necklaces, while enamel added colour to silver shields and charms.
Pendant motifs on this page include delicate spiders, flying insects, hearts, crosses, and floral shields.
What Varies in Quality
Quality rests in the crispness of the metalwork and the matching of the stones, particularly the uniformity of tiny seed pearls and the saturation of amethysts, peridots, and aquamarines.
The better examples display finely articulated drops and fully intact original chains, while simpler production relied on standard stamped mounts and lesser gem grades.
Deakin & Francis·Murrle Bennett·Archibald Knox·Charles Horner
The Edwardian Pendant Necklace Glossary
- Lavalier
- A pendant featuring a primary drop suspended below a smaller stone or decorative link, popular throughout the Edwardian era.
- Seed pearl
- A very small, natural or saltwater pearl, typically half-drilled and glued onto tiny pegs within gold wire settings.
- Negligee necklace
- A design comprising two asymmetric drops hanging from a central focal point on a fine chain.
- Millegrain
- A technique involving tiny raised beads of metal along the edges of settings, giving a soft, textured border to stones.
Edwardian Pendant Necklace: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I wear a lavalier pendant?
These drop necklaces sit high on the collarbone, making them well-suited to open necklines and evening wear.
Their lightweight construction means they move freely with the wearer, echoing the fluid silhouettes of the period.
What are Suffragette colours in jewellery?
Pieces associated with the movement combine green peridot, white seed pearls, and violet amethyst to represent give women freedom.
These stones were frequently set together in fifteen-carat gold pendant frames during the early nineteen-hundreds.
Are these chains original to the pendants?
Many necklaces survive with their original trombone, curb link, or delicate cable chains, often complete with matching dog clips.
Where replacements occur, they are selected to match the weight and colour of the gold or silver drop.
How do I tell Art Nouveau from Edwardian pieces?
Art Nouveau designs favour asymmetric whiplash curves and stylised natural forms like insects and flowing floral motifs.
Edwardian work tends towards symmetrical garlands, ribbons, and platinum-topped diamond settings, though many pieces blend both aesthetics.