Etruscan Revival Torpedo Earrings
Attractive, and especially wearable, Etruscan Revival torpedo earrings dating from the latter half of the 19th century, circa 1870. They're crafted in 18 carat gold with a gorgeous matte bloomed finish and applied ropework and granulation.
The Etruscans occupied the region formerly known as Etruria on Italian peninsula (modern day Tuscany) before the rise of Rome; their civilisation, one of the most magnificent Europe has ever seen, reached its peak in the 6th century BC, and its legacy influenced many aspects of the Roman empire. Essentially a federation of city-states, they were, amongst myriad other things, master goldsmiths, and shared a common language that is generally accepted as pre-Indo-European (!!!). The 19th century excavation of Etruscan tombs uncovered gold jewellery the likes of which had never been seen, inspiring jewellers (notably Castellani) to produce replicas of these ancient treasures in the archaeological revival style - often as commissions from European royalty. Designs would incorporate fine granulation, filligree, ropework, cannetille, micromosaics, and inlays of stones such as lapis, carnelian, banded agate, and malachite. There was a distinct divide between jewellers who sought to create facsimile replicas of ancient pieces, and jewellers who drew influence from ancient techniques, but wished to create unique pieces of their own design.
Era: Victorian, circa 1870
Length: 4.6cm (from tops of ear wires)
Width: 1.2cm
Marks: None, tested as 18ct gold (ear wires testing as 14ct gold)
Condition: Great antique condition; one of the gold grains is missing.
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.
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