Memento mori is a Latin phrase meaning “remember that you must die.” Memento mori jewelry was popularly worn from the 16th century until the early 1800s as a constant visual reminder of the brevity of life and the call to virtue. This style of jewelry is most frequently seen featuring a skull, grave diggers’ tools or the tempus fugit. In the 19th century, we see a decline in the popularity of memento mori in tandem with a rise in the production of mourning jewelry. While the sentiment behind mourning and memento mori is similar, it is not quite the same thing. Mourning jewelry is a tribute to the memory of an individual, while memento mori has more to do with concept of death and its inevitability. These later Georgian pinchbeck charms are known as the “Seven Stages of Man,” they symbolize the phases of life from infancy to old age and evoke the spirit of memento mori jewelry. A very rare and unusual piece.
thedetails
- Materials
pinchbeck, coral, glass, new 14k gold chain
- Age
c. 1820
- Condition
Very good - half of the spectacles charm is missing
- Size
charms measure about 1", 18" chain
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Aboutthe
GeorgianEra
1714 — 1837
As imperialist war raged in the Americas, Caribbean, Australia, and beyond, the jewelry industry benefited: colored gems from all over the empire became newly available. A mix of artistic influences from around Europe contributed to the feminine, glittering jewels of the era. Dense, ornate Baroque motifs from Italy showed up in Georgian jewelry, as did French Rococo’s undulating flora and fauna. Neoclassical style made use of Greek and Roman motifs, which were newly popular due to the recently uncovered ruins of Pompeii and Herculaneum. Lapidary methods improved: the dome-shaped rose cut was popular, as was the “old mine cut,” a very early iteration of today’s round brilliant cut.
The boat-shaped marquise diamond cut was developed around this time, supposedly to imitate the smile of Louis XV’s mistress, the marquise de Pompadour. Paste — an imitation gemstone made from leaded glass — was newly developed in the 18th century, and set into jewelry with the same creativity and care as its more precious counterparts. Real and imitation gems were almost always set in closed-backed settings, lined on the underside with thin sheets of foil to enhance the color of the stone and highlight it's sparkle. This makes Georgian rings tough for modern women to wear, especially on an everyday basis: genteel, jewelry-owning ladies of the 18th century were not famous for working with their hands like we are. Nor did they wash their hands as much as we do. Water will virtually ruin a foiled setting, so take special care with your Georgian ring. Very little jewelry from this period is still in circulation, and it's very difficult to repair.
please note:Terms of Sale
Antiques can be returned unworn and in original condition within 10 days of delivery for an exchange or refund minus the cost of shipping. Once a piece has been altered, including ring re-sizing, it is FINAL SALE.