A unique, antique yellow gold pendant from the Art Nouveau era.
The dawning of the new millennium in 1900 caused some to question what the new century would bring. It was a time of uncertainty and people were hopeful, cautiously optimistic but also wary. Sound familiar? Sort of like Y2K but people were better dressed.
Swooping, swirling lines and an earthy, organic, natural vibe was the signature style of the Nouveau period, a direct and soft opposition to the rise of the industrial era. I really like the font of the "?" here, I have seen a few question mark pieces in my day but this one is unusual with it's very graphic look and the use of negative space.
The question mark is dotted with a small white diamond measuring 2.2mm round. This bright little guy is set into a 4 prong white gold basket, a trick that makes the diamond look bigger and whiter. It's not the biggest diamond, but it has a nice sparkle to it, giving the pendant just a tiny bit of flash, which feels correct for the time period. The pendant measures approximately 1 inch long with the bail, and is about half an inch wide at the widest part of the question mark.
The chain is new, goldfill and adjustable, it can be worn at 16-17-18 inches long, which is a very handy thing when you want to wear different necklines.
This pendant could represent a lot of different questions for the wearer- "can I sit with this?" "can I handle this?" or a popular feeling lately, "WTF?" Maybe it could be a personal reminder to stay curious and open minded. Or maybe someone who loves punctuation and lettering will be charmed by its unique font. Who will it be? Is it you?
Antique 14K yellow gold pendant, very good condition
There is a spot of solder on the back of the pendant, behind the diamond
New goldfill chain, 16-17-18 inches in length
