Grand Tour "The Pantheon" Micromosaic Brooch
A large, rectangular micromosaic panel brooch dating from the early Victorian period, circa 1840. The Pantheon in Rome is depicted in excellent detail, looking somewhat different to how it appears today on account of the two bell towers that were added by Pope Urban VIII in the 17th century (and have since been removed). Urban VIII was responsible for a number of (hugely unpopular) alterations to the 2000-year-old building, also including stripping out the original bronze beams to make weaponry, and these two bell towers that were dubbed "ass's ears" by the public at the time. They were removed by Pope Pius IX in the middle of the 19th century, and the dull inscription letters were replaced with bright, new bronze in an attempt to restore the original appearance of the temple.
The mosaic tesserae are set over a black glass background, and the whole panel is mounted in 9ct yellow gold. The Grand Tourers - an adventurous breed of English aristocrat - embarked on a journey of learning and culture-immersion across continental Europe, with an obligatory jaunt to Italy where they'd take in the ancient sights and stock up on souvenirs and handicrafts in the ancient styles: cameos, intaglios, carved coral and lava, and, of course, micromosaics.
Era: Early Victorian, circa 1840
Size: 4.2cm by 3.5cm
Marks: None, tested as 9ct gold
Condition: Great antique condition. Light wear consistent with age including a couple of small chips to the bevelled edge of the glass
Full appraisal document provided with each item.
This includes a valuation for insurance purposes, item specifics, date, and origins (where applicable).
Gemstones are tested by an accredited gemmologist (Cert GA, Gemmological Association of Great Britain).
Shipping
DHL Express shipping is free of charge on international orders over £300 and it's carbon offset
Tracked and insured with signature on delivery
RM Special Delivery (UK domestic)
US Shipments
US Customs no longer charges a 10% tariff on antiques shipped from the UK. We will ensure that our parcels are correctly declared using the relevant HTS codes to qualify for the tariff exemption and zero-rated (0%) duties so you won't have any customs fees to pay at the border. You will remain liable for any handling/storage fees charged by DHL as a result of a delay in providing any additional customs information.
[Last updated: September 2026]
Resizing
Ring sizing is available on most rings
£55 flat fee
Resizing takes 7-14 days
Leave a note at checkout with your desired size
Note: sizing may remove some of the patina (although we take every care to reduce this where possible)
Layaway
25% deposit taken to secure the item. The remaining balance will be settled in 90 days. You can pay installments weekly, monthly, or the full balance at the end - whatever works.
Condition
We offer detailed and accurate condition reports on each listing. These pieces are antique, vintage, or pre-loved and often over 100 years old so they're going to have lived a life. A healthy patina and the odd scuff or scrape is quite normal... it's part of their charm! Everything we present has been checked over by our jeweller and should be good for wear for many years to come (unless otherwise stated) but please remember to treat them with appropriate care and consideration for their age.
Buying a Gift?
Leave a note at checkout and we'll include a handwritten note to the recipient. Just tell us what you'd like to say :)
More Questions?
Get in touch... There's a live chat at the bottom right of the page.
info@lostowl.com