What periods do these pendants come from?

The pieces listed span from the late Victorian and Art Nouveau periods of the 1890s and 1900s through the 1910s and 1920s. Later examples extend into the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s. French workshops produced the majority of these medals, recording the stylistic transitions from organic floral motifs to geometric Art Deco lines.

How should I wear a yellow gold mary pendant?

These pendants suspend easily from fine gold chains as daily necklaces, positioned alone or layered with other charms. Their substantial gold loops and rings accommodate most standard chain thicknesses. Care should be taken with enamelled or pearl-set versions to avoid hard impacts against other jewellery.

How can I tell the maker of a medal?

Many French medals bear the signature or initials of the designer stamped directly into the metal near the rim or beneath the central figure. Names such as Dropsy or Augis appear on the surface alongside French assay marks. Assay marks, such as the eagle's head, indicate the use of 18K gold and help confirm French origin.

What materials are used besides gold?

Goldsmiths combined 18K yellow gold with natural seed pearls, carved mother-of-pearl, and vitreous enamel. Plique-a-jour enamel creates stained-glass effects behind the figures. Some pieces integrate white or rose gold sections to highlight specific design elements within the frame.