Natural Seed Pearl Jewellery (Georgian period 1714-1830)

Not an everyday object, to say the least. A parure (a set of matching jewels) of real natural seed pearls, some 200 years old and in the finest condition, comes in its original box from the jeweller: Hamlet. His sign reads: "Hamlet Goldsmith & Jeweller To Their Majesties & Royal Family, Princes Street, Leicester Square".

Natural seed pearls (smaller than 2mm and not completely round) were an essential part of Georgian jewellery. They were made into long tasseled sautoirs, threaded into intricate designs to support slides and clasps, or used as surrounds for gemstones, cameos, and micro mosaics instead of the more traditional diamonds. Particularly exquisite are the parures of seed pearls in various sizes, sewn by hand with horsehair or silk thread onto a drilled mother-of-pearl backing to create necklaces, hair ornaments, and earrings of delicate beauty.

Due to the size of the seed pearls, special care and patience were needed when drilling the holes, as even the smallest mistake would result in the loss of value or render the pearl completely useless. It was an art Indian lapidaries were especially famed for, due to the extensive use of seed pearls in traditional Indian jewellery.

For all its fragility, a good deal of seed pearl work has survived, and fine examples in boxed sets can still be found. Pearls have always had a beautifying effect on women. (From the book "Georgian Jewellery 1714-1830" - where on page 153 you can see some jewellery that came from the Adin collection). Purity and innocence are characteristics often ascribed to pearls, combined with the purity attributed to the lily depicted in the necklace, making them an ideal wedding gift for a blushing bride.

The well-known story of Queen Cleopatra, dissolving a pearl into vinegar and drinking it to showcase her wealth to Caesar is often disregarded as myth. But there are records of Ranjit Singh, a nineteenth-century party-loving Indian prince who threw decadent parties where he would grind pearls to a powder and mix them with wine to offer to his favoured guests to impress them.

We don't suggest giving this necklace the Cleopatra nor the Ranjit Singh treatment, just wearing it will suffice to impress your friends.

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Click here to read and see more about this seed pearl necklace.