What is a cabochon stone?

A cabochon is a gemstone cut with a smooth, rounded top and a flat or slightly curved base. This style lacks facets, allowing light to pool across stones like moonstones and opals. Craftsmen favoured this finish historically to display the interior play of colour or chatoyancy within natural minerals.

How do I date a silver pendant?

Dating relies on stylistic markers, hallmarks, and the specific cut and setting of the stones. Arts and Crafts and Art Nouveau pieces display characteristic hand-wrought textures and organic motifs. Comparative analysis of maker marks and accompanying chain types helps narrow down the decade of manufacture.

Are these pendants handmade?

Many examples on this page originate from the Arts and Crafts and Art Nouveau movements, where handcrafting was a central philosophy. Artisans hammered the silver and set stones individually. Studio jewellers often left subtle tool marks that distinguish their work from mass-produced items.

What stones are used most?

Moonstone, opal, and turquoise dominate these listings, frequently paired with chalcedony, amethyst, and pearls. These minerals suit the rounded cabochon profile. Enamel work and gold accents often complement the primary gemstones in Edwardian and period pieces.