Victorian Pietra Dura Pendant
Gorgeous Victorian pietra dura pendant dating from the latter half of the 19th century. Pietra dura, literally "painting in stone," is a highly skilled technique that involves cutting and fitting coloured stones to form patterns or pictures. This one is a white flower - a pansy, perhaps -with amber coloured leaves set into a rounded oval piece of Ashford Black Marble. It hangs from a silver bail.
Known to have been used since ancient times, Ashford Black Marble is a dark limestone quarried from mines near Ashford-in-the-Water in Derbyshire, England. Not a true marble, Ashford Black is a fine-grained sedimentary rock prized for its highly decorative shiny black appearance. A thriving craft trade started in the 1750s, focused on the manufacture of urns, obelisks, jewellery, etchings, and other decorative items.
Era: Victorian, circa 1880
Size: 5.5cm (including bail) by 3.3cm
Stone: Ashford Black Marble with stone inlay
Marks: None, tested as silver
Condition: Good antique condition; some very minor inlay losses - 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
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Tracked and insured with signature on delivery
RM Special Delivery (UK domestic)
US Shipments
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[Last updated: 28th February 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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