Ornate Emerald Locket with Diamonds and Bow Brooch

• Rose Cut - A flat based cut for a preious stone, leaving the surface covered with triangular facets, usually 24 in total.
  
  It was introduced in the 15th century and popular during the 16th and 17th centuries.
  
  The rose cut was the most popular form of diamond cut until the discovery of the brilliant cut at the end of the 17th century, after which its use declined.
• Acanthus - A stylized leaf motif, one of the primary decorative elements of classical Greek and Roman architecture, derived from the genus of flowering plants in the family Acanthaceae, native to tropical and subtropical regions of the Mediterranean area. It is a common element in classical Greek and Roman design, and is often seen in Corinthian and Composite order columns and used as a decorative element in English, European and Australian furniture, particularly on the curve of a leg, and as decoration for a corbel.
• Emeralds - Emeralds have been used in jewellery making for thousands of years, and are prized for their deep green colour, which is caused by the presence of chromium and vanadium in the mineral beryl. Because of their rare colour, emeralds are often more valuable than diamonds of a similar size and quality. In jewellery making, emeralds are typically cut into round or oval shapes to maximize their color and clarity. They are often set in gold or platinum and used as the centrepiece of a piece of jewellery, such as a ring or necklace. They can also be used in combination with other gems, such as diamonds, to create intricate and beautiful designs.
• Rolled Gold - A type of gold plating devloped in the early 19th century, similar to Sheffield plating of silver, where the the gold is fused under pressure and heat to a base metal, usually brass, and then rolled into sheets of the required thickness.
  
  The thickness of the gold plate can vary. In Britain the thickness of the gold is measured in microns. A micron is one-thousandth of a millimetre and 20 microns of gold is considered good quality. In the USA a differnt method is used that takes account of the total weight of the object.
  
  Also, the purity of the gold, measured in carats can vary, with 24 carat being the purest. The gold in most rolled gold objects will be between 9 and 14 carats.
  
  There are other chemical and electroplating methods of applying gold plate to a base metal, but rolled gold is considered a superior plate to a "gold plated" object.
  
  Depending on the country and date of manufacture, the object may be stamped "Rolled Gold" or similar, but if there is any doubt as to whether an object is solid gold, or some type of gold plating, it is preferable to have it tested by a jeweller.

This item has been included into following indexes:

• brooches, depicting - bow 261
• brooches, design or type - portrait and locket 527
• brooches, diamond - diamond and emeralds 209
• brooches, floral design - floral design, gold mounted 904
• brooches, other - with locket 777