Gold Turquoise Drops
Gold turquoise drops bring together the striking blue of genuine turquoise and warm gold in dangling earrings and pendants from the Victorian, Edwardian and later eras.
Gold Turquoise Drops
Gold turquoise drops encompass a range of dangling jewellery forms, most notably earrings and pendants featuring rich blue turquoise stones set in gold. When searching for gold turquoise drops, buyers encounter Victorian, Edwardian, and Art Nouveau pieces that utilise these distinct dangling elements.
The selection on this page relies heavily on Victorian and Edwardian examples, alongside later 20th-century items including mid-century suites and chandeliers. Forms vary from dangling teardrops and flower drops to elaborate negligee necklaces and heavy tassel earrings.
Styles range from revivalist Etruscan designs and floral motifs to flowing Art Nouveau lines and Arts and Crafts creations. Buyers find both delicate pearl-accented items and substantial multi-stone parure sets reflecting the tastes of their respective periods.
How They Were Made
The construction of these pieces relies on gold alloys varying in purity from nine-carat to fifteen-carat yellow and rose gold, often combined with silver settings to highlight the gems. Goldsmiths utilised traditional techniques such as granulation, wirework, and secure prong or bezel settings to mount the turquoise and pearls.
Stones range from uniform polished turquoise to matrix turquoise showing natural veining, frequently paired with seed pearls, blue topaz, or crystals. Metalwork reflects the stylistic shifts of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, from hand-wrought Arts and Crafts frames to structured cast mountings.
What Varies in Quality
The distinction between standard commercial production and fine maker attribution also defines the range, with signed pieces by notable workshops displaying superior detail in chased metalwork and stone matching. Structural integrity of dangling components and original clasps further separates exceptional survivors from altered pieces.
Deakin and Francis·Murrle Bennett·Dorrie Nossiter
The Gold Turquoise Drops Glossary
- Matrix Turquoise
- Turquoise stone that retains portions of the host rock, showing natural dark veining throughout the blue material. This appearance appeals to collectors seeking organic and untreated gemstone characteristics.
- Negligee Necklace
- A delicate Edwardian necklace featuring an asymmetrical dangling drop suspended from a central motif. It gained immense popularity during the early twentieth century.
- Parure Set
- A matched suite of jewellery comprising items such as earrings, pendants, and brooches designed to be worn together. Complete matched sets are particularly notable.
- Etruscan Revival
- A nineteenth-century design movement inspired by ancient archaeological discoveries featuring fine granulation and wirework on gold. It reflects Victorian fascination with classical antiquity.
- Tassel Earrings
- Dangling earrings ending in flexible chains or drops of metal and stone that move with the wearer. Victorian examples often incorporate heavy gold work.
Gold Turquoise Drops: Frequently Asked Questions
What periods do gold turquoise drops come from?
Gold turquoise drops span the Victorian and Edwardian eras, with additional examples from the Art Nouveau and Arts and Crafts movements.
Later pieces extend through the 1920s, 1930s, and mid-century periods, showing evolving tastes in gold purity and stone combinations.
Are these pieces made from solid gold?
These items utilise various gold alloys, predominantly nine-carat and fifteen-carat yellow or rose gold, alongside silver elements.
Makers selected these metals for durability and colour contrast against the bright blue turquoise stones.
What styles are common in these drops?
Common styles include floral Edwardian clusters, flowing Art Nouveau lines, and revivalist Etruscan wirework designs.
Drop forms range from simple teardrops to elaborate dangling tassels and chandelier earrings.
How were matching parure sets worn?
Parure sets provided complete coordination of jewellery items like earrings, pendants, and brooches for formal Victorian occasions.
Wearing matching elements demonstrated social status and adherence to strict nineteenth-century fashion etiquette.