MID-VICTORIAN RENAISSANCE REVIVAL SLIDE BRACELET, CIRCA 1870

Mid-Victorian Renaissance revival bracelet centered with an oval domed medallion featuring a raised gold cross set to the middle with a cushion cut natural ruby, accented by small round diamonds, set over a finely pierced openwork filigree dome detailing black enamel scrollwork, bordered by alternating emeralds and rubies, further decorated with black enamel taille d’épargne cross motifs to a textured gold rim, flanked by ten parallel flexible strands of hand-woven gold foxtail chain, fitted with two moveable rectangular slide keepers decorated with enamel cross motifs and set with further rubies and emeralds, the reverse terminating in a broad rectangular box clasp adorned with black enamel openwork scrollwork and set with accent rubies, fitted with a secure tongue and push-clasp mechanism, tested 22 karat yellow gold, circa 1870.

Why we are obsessed

Born from the Victorian era's romantic obsession with Tudor and Italian courtly splendour, this bracelet abandons typical 19th-century sentimentality in favour of dark, theatrical drama. The high-domed medallion layered with black taille d’épargne enamel, filigree, and a regal palette of rubies and emeralds recalls the opulent jewels worn by 16th-century European nobility.