Georgian Planetary Harlequin Celestial Brooch 18ct Gold Ceylon Sapphire Antique. DISPATCHED WITH ROYAL MAIL SPECIAL DELIVERY NEXT DAY GUARANTEED FREE WITHIN THE UK.

OVERSEAS DELIVERY VIA THE GSP GLOBAL SHIPPING PROGRAMME.

THERE IS A VIDEO AVAILABLE TO VIEW OF THIS BROOCH IN MY ETSY SHOP

DIMENSIONS:

Diameter:- 3.1cm/31mm

WEIGHT:- 9.8g

GEMSTONES:-

NATURAL CEYLON SAPPHIRES:

Blue:- SATURN:- 6x5.2mm

Yellow:- JUPITER:- 5.9x4.9mm

Purple-Pink BOOSTS THE POWER AND POSITIVE EFFECTS OF VENUS:- 5.5x4.8mm

Spessartite Garnet SUN:- 9x9mm

Smoky Quartz:- EARTH

Cabochon Ceylon Moonstone:- MOON

Chrysoberyl:- KETU (SOUTH NODE OF THE MOON)

Hessonite Garnet:- RAHU (NORTH NODE OF THE MOON)

Blood Red Garnet:- MARS

THERE IS ALSO AN ALMANDINE GARNET AND AMETHYST. AMETHYST IS ALSO USED TO REPRESENT BOTH SATURN AND JUPITER IN DIFFERENT TRADITIONS, BUT WAS ALSO WORN TO ATTRACT  SUCCESS IN ROMANCE AND FINANCES. THE ALMANDINE GARNET IS ALSO CHOSEN FOR ITS LUCKY INFLUENCE ON LOVE, PERHAPS A REASON WHY GARNET WAS ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR GEMSTONES OF THE GEORGIAN AGE. PLEASE NOTE, I AM NOT AN EXPERT, RATHER AN ENTHUSIAST AND HISTORY LOVER, AND I RESEARCH ALL MY ITEMS DEEPLY AND AS THOROUGHLY AS AVAILABLE INFORMATION WILL ALLOW.

WILL BE SENT BOXED, SECURELY WRAPPED AND FULLY INSURED.

HISTORY AND MEANING:

Absolutely sensational and extraordinarily rare is this unique one-of-a-kind Georgian Planetary celestial Harlequin Brooch. Planetary jewellery is the rarest variety of  Georgian harlequin jewellery - a style characterised by the setting of mis-matched coloured Gemstones (and paste) in jewellery - named for the colourful court jester costumes of the past.

      Harlequin jewellery first appeared in the last quarter of the 18th century, and continued to be made throughout the 19th century: by the Victorian age usually in the form of necklaces and occasionally bar brooches, colourful but most without symbolic meanings or messages, or as acrostic rings, continuing the Romantic Georgian fashion. Like many (but not all) Georgian harlequin jewels, acrostic rings use the initial of the Gemstone to spell a sentiment, for example 'regard' spelt out in ruby, emerald, garnet, amethyst and diamond.

    So, whilst acrostic jewellery used gemstones to spell out the feelings of the giver for the recipient, the superstitious and symbol loving Georgians chose the stones in meaningful harlequin jewels according to the characteristics associated with those stones, whose influence the person commissioning the jewel wanted to draw into their lives, and in the case of this most rare of the Harlequin varieties, Planetary jewellery, the planets associated with those desirable characteristics.

    Typically arranged around a central 'sun' (here in the form of Spessartite Garnet, but Coral and Carnelian are also used)  orbited by the known planets, moons, stars and other celestial bodies or phenomena (such as comets) chosen according to the characteristics most desired by the buyer.

Much Georgian jewellery was broken up and repurposed in the Victorian age, and planetary jewellery particularly is exceptionally rare, the wide range of gemstones, artistic skill and precious materials making them affordable only for the most wealthy clients, few were likely ever made.

   I am fascinated by the cultural and scientific climate that characterised the Georgian period. In continuation of the 17th century Enlightenment, wealthy men took up an interest in practicing science and astronomy, powerfully influenced by the huge strides in scientific advancement of the 18th century. The unravelling of the mysteries of the universe, and the answering of questions asked by man since antiquity also Inspired a cultural fascination, sparked by the correctly predicted posthumous arrival in 1759 of the eponymous Halley's Comet, by Sir Edmund Halley, Royal Astronomer, and  the identification of Uranus as a planet by Herschel in 1782, amongst many other new and exciting discoveries. Initially only for the very wealthy, this excitement and interest was quickly represented in jewellery form by the earliest incarnations of the celestial jewellery trend (a fashion continued through to the close of the Edwardian age) the fabulously varied and tiny Halley's Comet brooches and pins. Georgian celestial jewellery is a subject of great fascination for me, which began with my discovery of the original Halleys Comet pins, of which I have now bought and sold very many, dating from 1760 to 1835, from diamonds and emeralds to blue John and paste, and then the exceptionally  rare Planetary pieces. I first discovered planetary jewellery through buying and then researching the fabulous harlequin pendant (the last image in the gallery) I was so awed by it and struggled so hard to part with it that I routinely scan the internet for pieces, and bought this as a gift for myself. I sell beautiful jewellery, but owned none of my own before I fell in love with this amazing piece. The only other 3 or 4 harlequin Planetary Jewels I've tracked down so far are all long since sold. These were all in ring form, with the same design convention of central sun (in one case, a central moonstone moon) either with the stone 'planets' Orbiting the ring face, or circling around the shank. 

     These sensational, rare jewels are matchless in their ability to offer a window into the minds of wealthy men living during the reign of King George IIi; drawn to both the rational and irrational. This brooch depicts its owners personal fantasy Universe, in which he hopes or believes he can attract all the positive influences of the most favourable celestial bodies, and cancel out the negative, simply by choosing certain gemstones, drawing success down on his business, financial, and love interests.  The rich, contrasting colours cast by these chosen moons and planets in gemstone form, studding the rich floral yellow gold mount, combine in a stunningly beautiful, intensely personal, unique and deeply symbolic jewel.

      What I find most appealing about Planetary jewellery is how it's symbols, meanings, and convention in the repeat design of the stones Orbiting the Sun,  captures the dichotomy at the heart of the Georgian age, its 120 plus years bridging the gap between the old world and the new, between history and modernity, between scientific discovery and the superstition of the old ways.  Nowhere is this divergence more closely connected than in Planetary jewellery; It is quite curious how scientific knowledge of the planets was still accompanied by superstitious beliefs, despite over a century of Enlightenment thinking.

    Whilst more and more about the physical nature of the planets, stars and  universe itself was becoming known, the knowledgeable and wealthy - at the forefront of these discoveries- were still greatly concerned about how the movements of the heavens might impact life on earth, and how that celestial power might be harnessed and brought to bear on their earthly lives.

DESCRIPTION AND CONDITION

In extremely good antique condition. The stones are all hand cut and faceted, securely mounted in open backed cut down collet mounts. The cabochon cut moonstone Moon contrasts effectively with the faceted 'planets'  The body is extremely finely hand wrought 18 carat gold (tested, but unmarked as is expected for its age) it is decorated round with beautifully detailed little flowers. There are small variations in the cuts, shapes and  sizes of the stones, which means the brooch sparkles with an all encompassing intensity when exposed to the light. There is some light age commensurate wear, scratches to some facet edges, and tiny areas of the mount, with evidence of a small repair to the rear and a small chip to the almandine garnet. The stones are all original, as are the fittings which work perfectly.

    I am not a gemologist but I bought from a reputable jewellery seller who described the three sapphires and Moonstone as natural and originating from Ceylon. The Sapphires are eye clean (I do not currently have a loupe, but will get one and look through that) and the blue described as 'cornflower blue' the measurements of the precious stones are included at the top of the page. PLEASE STUDY ALL PICTURES CLOSELY AS THESE REPRESENT THE BEST AND MOST OBJECTIVE DESCRIPTION FOR MORE IMAGES OR INFO PLEASE CONTACT ME. PLEASE SEE MY OTHER LISTINGS FOR AUTHENTIC ANTIQUE GOLD JEWELLERY. THANK YOU