Mid-Victorian Jewelry

Peter Carl Faberge (1846-1920), born in Russia is known for the creative and meticulous workmanship of the Imperial Easter Eggs. He was educated in England, Germany, Italy and France. In 1879, at the age of 24, Peter Carl Faberge inherited his father’s jewelry business. He gained international fame when his detailed decorative designs caught the eye of the wealthy royal families of Europe. In 1882, he was honored with the...

The demantoid garnet belongs to the large garnet family that is known for its dark red color. Not only is the demantoid garnet the most expensive in the garnet group, it is also one of the most precious of all gemstones and it is green. Demantoid garnets come in varying shades of green from slightly yellowish green to brownish green to a blue green. The most precious garnet is a...

Cecil Rhodes was the founder of DeBeers and he started simply by renting water pumps during the rush of 1871. Then an 83.5 carat diamond was discovered in the Kimberly Mine in South Africa. He used the proceeds to buy small mining operations and started his own. To fund his new mining operations, he was able to get capital from the Rothschild family. DeBeers was founded in 1888 and, at...

The Idol’s Eye diamond weighs 70.21 carats and is described as a “blue white Golconda diamond”. Golconda is a mine in India known for its colorless and inclusion free diamonds. These diamonds are so rare that they would today probably only be seen at a Christie’s or another well-known auction house. The Idol’s Eye diamond is shaped like a combination old mine cut and triangular brilliant possessing a “slight bluish...