How do I wear a antique brooch?

These pieces can be pinned to lapels, scarves, or collars using the original pin and safety catch mechanisms. For convertible designs that include a loop, you can also suspend the piece from a chain to wear it as a pendant.

How do I date my garnet brooch?

Examine the gold purity marks, pin fittings, and overall stylistic motifs to determine the period. Victorian pieces often feature fifteen-carat or eighteen-carat gold with Etruscan revival or carbuncle details, while Edwardian examples frequently use nine-carat gold with seed pearls.

What is a carbuncle garnet?

A carbuncle is a garnet cut with a convex, rounded surface rather than facets. This historic cutting style maximises the rich red interior glow of the stone. Jewellers frequently set these rounded stones into heavy gold mountings during the mid-nineteenth century.

Are all these brooches Victorian?

While nineteenth-century Victorian and high Victorian pieces form a large part of the selection, the listings also include Edwardian and Art Deco examples. Later pieces often introduce different gold carats, alongside alternative stones like demantoid garnets, opals, and diamonds.