Lot 562
Roman, Imperial period, ca. 1st to 3rd century CE. A graceful pair of Roman gold chandelier earrings that balance color, movement, and light, designed to shimmer with every turn of the head. Suspended from simple gold hoops, these ornaments unfold downward in a cascade of gemstones and pearls, transforming precious materials into a lively display of refinement and status. Each earring is constructed around a central gold framework from which multiple hanging elements are carefully articulated in the classic chandelier form. At the upper register, one earring retains a polished emerald with a rounded face set within a gold bezel, while its counterpart preserves an empty setting where a matching stone was once held. Below, two lunate glass inlays with flat faces introduce a crescent rhythm to the design, echoed by four teardrop-shaped amethyst inlays, also flat-faced and carefully polished to catch the light. Size (both about the same): 2.6" L x 0.8" W (6.6 cm x 2 cm); weight: 7.3 grams
The gemstones are arranged to emphasize symmetry and downward flow, a hallmark of Roman chandelier earrings.
Suspended among the gemstones are natural pearls, each irregular in form and now bearing a soft iridescence developed through age and burial. This surface sheen lends the pearls a subtle opalescent glow, enhancing the layered richness of the composition. The gentle movement of the dangling elements would have animated the earrings in wear, producing a shifting interplay of color and light prized in Roman jewelry.
Chandelier earrings of this type were worn by women of means in the Roman world, signaling wealth, taste, and access to luxury materials sourced from across the empire. Emeralds, amethysts, glass, and pearls were favored not only for their beauty but also for their symbolic associations with protection, clarity, and status. Together, these earrings offer a vivid glimpse into the decorative sophistication of Roman personal adornment, where craftsmanship, movement, and elegance were inseparable from social identity.
Provenance: private London, UK collection; ex-private Vienna, Austria collection, acquired between 1980-2000
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#200931
- Condition: One earring is missing emerald inlay. Some bending to gold sheets, as well a light surface wear throughout
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