Featured Mourning brooch, gold, diamond, pearls & agate?

Hello all

Uncovered this little gem in a charity shop this week. Gold mourning brooch set with pearls and a single diamond. My question is about the black & white stone.

First glance when i was in the shop i assumed it was white enamel on black agate or other stone. But closeup it looks like the white and black is all from one piece. Could that be correct as black and white agate?

Measures 2.3cm x 1.8cm, 6.3 grams
No purity/hallmarking

 

Looks like onyx.

 

It is a little beauty, Ratsy.

Could be banded onyx, could be glass.

 

Could be sardonyx, but see little indicators that the forget me not is pâte sur pâte. When glass fuses to itself, hard to tell apart. Sweet piece, either way. The one thing it probably is not is enamel on stone.

 

I'm seriously going to stalk you.

 

Can't help with the material but what a find! Also, excellent photos.

 

VERY pretty little thing!!!!

 

Lovely find, Ratsy!

 

Absolutely lovely!

 

O, very pretty!

 

That's an easy sale, and an even easier hoard. NICE find.

 

VERY nice indeed !!! ... Joy.

 

Thanks everyone for your kind words. Banded onyx seems most likely, i am visiting my jeweller next week so may take it along for a test

 

You will let us know, won't you?

 

Hey @Any Jewelry - go have a look at my "faturan" necklace on Finds, if you've a moment, please? Ta!

 

Off for my late lunch, then I will.

 

Obliged.

 

Done!

 

Question for those of us still learning...
Are all Victorian-era black brooches called "mourning" brooches?
I thought a mourning brooch would have a place for a keepsake such as hair, or have a motto expressing mourning.

Very pretty brooch!

 

This is a fascinating site:

https://artofmourning.com/

Victoria went into perpetual mourning for Albert, turning widow's weeds into a fashion statement that women who were au courrant followed. These days, it seems any black jewellery that predates goth in style gets called mourning jewellery, as does anything with a photo/memento compartment. Some jewellery is clearly a statement because it says In Memoriam right there on the front. I'm not convinced that anything made of jet, or braided hair, or with a compartment with hair or a photo is necessarily meant as an expression of sorrow. I'm sure not all the husbands in photos were deceased, nor all the children.

This brooch & others similar bear a forget-me-not & do probably express a sad sentiment.