Victorian Carved Jet & Pearl Drop Earrings

The quintessential Victorian earrings, circa 1875 featuring urn-shaped drops of carved jet banded in pearl studded gold, hanging from hinged gold and black enamel tops. Though the earrings have a definite prescence they are comfortable for daily wear as jet itself is a lightweight material.

Essentially a type of fossilized wood, jet has been used in jewelry since the Neolithic period; it became especially popular in the 19th century for mourning jewelry due to it's inky color, glossy surface and the ease with which it can be carved.

Details: Measuring approximately 1 5/16" long from top to the bottom of the drop, with an approximate 6.1 gram weight for each earring. The gold fittings all test for 14k, the pearls appear to all be original.

Condition: In excellent antique condition, there are no scratches or visible chips to the jet.