Victorian Emerald & Mabé Pearl Choker white gold and a round locket compartment

and a round locket compartment resides behind the head designed to be worn against the skin

Pollo's (excellent) book Ancient Rings: An Illustrated Collector's Guide (2018

With perceived spiritual and magical qualities

and physicist Edmond Halley

Victorian Emerald & Mabé Pearl Choker white gold and a round locket compartmentA remarkable antique choker necklace dating from the dawn of the 20th century. There are a few stylistic influences at play: the choice of gemstones mab pearl and over 30 carats of verdant, included emeralds as well as the abstract, nature inspired foliate metalwork suggests an Art Nouveau influence; the 15 carat gold backed silver settings with split claws are quite typical of late Victorian jewellery; and the reeded dish backs behind the pearls are