Featured 9C Gold Pearl & Stone? Brooch

Hi,
I picked this up today thinking (and hoping) it was gold, so I very happy to find the 9C mark when I got a chance to have a look at it. I'm not sure what the centre piece is, maybe amethyst, maybe glass, with seed pearls around the edge? The amethyst/glass is facet cut, with the flat part on top and hard to show but it is pointed on the underside. I'll have to go by the pawn shop and see if they can tell me what the stone is.
Would this be late 1800s-early 1900s time period? The only mark is 9C but no other marks or hallmarks so does this mean it isn't British?
Any information appreciated.
thanks for looking

 

Pretty. Love the purple stone.

 

That hinge looks a little later than 1910's or 1920's, but I'm no expert. It's a good sign that the pin extends beyond the C clasp quite a bit.



https://www.realorrepro.com/article/Dating-brooch-fasteners

 

I'd say Edwardian though
It is a classic and nice brooch!
Cxgirl, look the stone through a loupe, if there are bands of stronger color in it, amethyst.
If you can detect bubble(s), glass/paste.
But... there are amethysts without bands... and glass without bubbles!

 

Oh, you are good TDC thank-you! here is a better photo of the hinge

 

Thank-you pearls!

Thank-you kyratango! I can't see any bubbles but will see what they say at the pawn shop

 

Classic Edwardian British amethyst and half see pearl brooch. Sometimes the stones are foiled, I have one.

 

from here the stone looks real.....
&
they don't call it British Columbia....fer nuthin...

 

Good instincts, CX. Looks like a nicely made piece.

 

Worn on those high necked lace shirts. I do that!

 

Looks like the real deal to me.

 

Good color for amethyst.
Nice find.

Also - Nice photos.

 

thanks for all the replies folks

Reading all the posts on the jewelry board sinks in, it was the length of the pin on the back that made me take a second look at it.

thank-you cluttered!

 

It is beautiful, cx, very stylish.
I'm with kyra and Obb, Edwardian. And British.
As Obb said, half pearls, not seed pearls. You can see it from the depth of the setting, and seed pearls are often slightly irregular and different from each other.
The amethyst looks convincing to me. But during the Edwardian age the new synthetic stones were often more expensive than real stones. So 'posh' synthetic could be a possibility, especially since this is a well made brooch.

The American dating charts for findings are very useful, but can be a bit tricky when it comes to jewellery that isn't from North America. Some clasps etc. were developed in Europe and only introduced in North America years or even decades later.
And some Asian and (North) African jewellery makers still use c-clasps on brooches, old style fixed shepherd hooks for earrings, etc. Limited resources limit the availability of techniques.

 

I may not be interpreting the photos correctly, but looks to me as though each pearl is in its own little cup, which makes me think they are not half pearls. The visible parts look like more than half. Also think I'm seeing a little bump on each cup, suggesting that pearls are mounted on posts. I like the sharpness of the edges where the facets of the stone meet. A well-made, high quality piece with either a genuine amethyst or good paste; pin stem possibly a replacement. IMHO. Are the dark spots visible on the back just bits of grime or inclusions in the stone?

 

I think you're right. My half seed one is a flat solid back.

 

I think you're right. Posts can be used for whole pearls and half pearls. It is difficult to see if the cups are deep enough for whole pearls.

Forgot to add earlier, the pin could be silver, not unusual.

 

Snipped by me.

Anyway, a very good point! Thanks for mentioning that AnyJewelry.

 

Thanks for the replies folks

I hope to get it cleaned today, but I suspect the spots are more dirt.
I agree the pearls are whole rather than half

 

I see the pearls as solid too..