Faceted stone with tiny gold chain.

Delmarva · Nov 20, 2020

Made from 1649 to the early 1700's broken silver Stuart crystal ring, missing the band. There is a tiny gold chain behind the stone...More on Stuart Crystals: Stuart Crystal refers to a jewelry tradition that commenced in 1649, after the execution of King Charles I of the House of Stuart. Royalists (those loyal to the Stuart monarchy) discreetly wore what has now become known as "Stuart Crystal"- a variety of rings, earrings, and brooches that commemorated the lost monarch. These rare pieces generally consist of cut rock crystal contained within a silver or foil-backed setting, and are characterized by the presence of woven hair (initially belonging to King Charles I himself), gold initials, or even miniature portraits of the King. With the restoration of the Monarchy beginning in 1660, a shift occurred where Stuart crystal was worn more publicly and for more personal reasons, like immortalizing the sentiments of living loved ones, in memory of those of have passed, or as Memento Mori, a reminder of one's own mortality.

Delmarva · Nov 27, 2020

Here's her backside. I'm sorry, the posterior for provenance. Cheers!

Silver Tree Chaser · Nov 27, 2020

Congrats on finding Stuart Crystal. The extra effort you made in describing the origin of this jewelry type was very informative. I was lucky enough to find a complete Stuart Crystal cufflink several years ago in a hay field. I first thought mistook it for tinfoil when upon my first glance. I should add that your cufflink appears to be actual quartz crystal like the specimen I recovered, as the stone facet has no sign of being scratched despite a few hundred years in the ground. Most recovered links are paste, i.e., glass, as seen in the scratched facets. The foil which is red to pink turn to silver while long buried; the black cloth in the cufflink that recovered also turned white. Congrats a great piece of 18th century jewelry! :hello2: