Large Pearl Jewellery
Large pearl jewellery brings together substantial gems and precious metals across Victorian, Edwardian, and mid-century designs.
Large Pearl Jewellery
Large pearl jewellery comprises substantial statement pieces including lockets, cluster brooches, earrings, and pendants that showcase prominent pearls.
Buyers will encounter items combining large pearls with diamonds, gold, amethyst, turquoise, and rock crystal across various historic styles.
How they were made
Craftsmen utilised various grades of gold, including 9ct, 14ct, 15ct, and 18ct, alongside silver to mount large pearls and accompanying gemstones securely.
Techniques range from detailed wirework and seed pearl clustering to elaborate cluster settings involving diamonds, amethyst, and mabe pearls.
Large Pearl Jewellery Retail Price Guide 2026
Typical asking prices for large pearl jewellery among the pieces listed under this phrase on Sellingantiques today, from the lower quarter to the upper quarter. They describe what is for sale here now, not the wider market.
What varies in quality
The standard of execution depends on the precision of the metalwork, the symmetry of the pearl settings, and the integration of secondary stones like diamonds or tourmalines.
Material selection significantly influences the overall character, distinguishing simple silver mountings from high-carat gold and diamond combinations.
The Large Pearl Jewellery Glossary
- Mabe pearl
- A cultured half-pearl grown against the inside shell of an oyster rather than within its tissue. These produce large, domed pearls often set into mid-century earrings and rings.
- Seed pearl
- Very small natural or cultured pearls historically used in intricate cluster and floral arrangements during the Victorian and Edwardian eras. They are typically threaded or pinned closely together.
- Locket
- A hinged pendant designed to hold a miniature portrait or lock of hair. Victorian examples frequently incorporate large pearls and enamel on silver or gold.
- Parure
- A matching set of jewellery designed to be worn together, such as earrings and a pendant created in the same style.
- Cluster brooch
- A brooch featuring a central stone or pearl surrounded by a distinct border of smaller gems.
Large Pearl Jewellery: Frequently Asked Questions
What periods do these pieces come from?
The inventory spans several historical eras, including the Victorian, Edwardian, and mid-century periods up to the 1960s.
Each era brings distinct mounting styles and metal choices, ranging from yellow and rose gold to silver.
How are mabe pearls different from standard pearls?
Mabe pearls are hemispherical cultured pearls grown against the inner shell of the oyster rather than inside the body. This allows them to grow much larger and results in a flat back suited for prominent earrings and clips.
They appear frequently in mid-century and retro designs alongside gold and diamonds.
What metals support these pearl settings?
Makers utilised a range of precious metals depending on the period, including 9ct, 14ct, 15ct, and 18ct gold, alongside silver.
Yellow gold and rose gold dominate the Victorian and Edwardian items, while white gold and platinum appear alongside later mid-century creations.
Are other gemstones combined with the pearls?
Many items integrate secondary stones such as diamonds, amethyst, turquoise, tourmaline, rock crystal, and opal.
These coloured stones and diamonds frame the central pearls within lockets, pendants, brooches, and cluster rings.