Victorian Pearl Bee Brooch
A wonderful antique brooch from the latter half of the Victorian era, circa 1880. The 18 carat gold brooch is stylised after a bee, featuring gold wire legs, antenna and a gold textured thorax, two fuchsia-pink ruby eyes, 2 pairs of silver wings with milled detailing around the edges, and set with 14 glistening rose-cut diamonds and a large zoomorphic pearl in place of the abdomen.
The Victorians were big on symbolism, particularly in their jewellery. It was a time of great upheaval; imperialism, the industrial revolution and huge advancements in scientific understanding and methodology radically changed Britain's perception of its past and future. With it came great social upheaval and a philosophy of purity, as the Victorians resolved to place themselves as the apotheosis of what it meant to be a moral and 'civilised' society. The bee was a popular motif during the era, representing hard work, cooperation, industriousness and loyalty. Pearls were also often associated with purity, chastity and grace. There are countless ways to analyse the symbology of this charming brooch, but it also holds merit on its own as a remarkable (and very cute) piece of jewellery.
Era: Victorian, circa 1880
Size: 2.6cm by 4.1cm
Stones: Pearl, Rubies (0.08ct total calculated) an Diamonds (1.04ct total calculated)
Marks: None present, tested as 18ct gold and silver
Condition: Good antique condition, wear to the underside of the pearl - see images
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
Express shipping is free of charge and carbon offset
Tracked and insured with signature on delivery
UPS Express (International)
RM Special Delivery (UK domestic)
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
Resizing
Ring sizing is available on most rings
£35 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
A 25% deposit will be 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, often over 100 years old so they're going to have lived a life. A healthy patina and the odd scuff/scrape are 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.
More Questions?
Get in touch... There's a live chat at the bottom right of each page.
alex@lostowl.jewelry