American 1930s Silver and Carnelian necklace. The gemstone Carnelian is part of the Chalcedony quartz family, from the branch that includes Black Onyx and Green Onyx, and the Lavendar Chalcedony of the Spain/Portugal border regions. The five Carnelian gemstones used in the above American 1930s Silver necklace creation are of the very finest quality and colour, with the warm reddish-brown colour tones so appreciated by the Victorian English. Indeed, Carnelian has been a favoured gemstone since neolithic times, and has been used since Antiquity as a seal, for it can be carved and hot wax will not stick to it.
The four gemstone claw settings of this very stylish American 1930s piece have been crafted by hand, as has the fine Silver chain; the five Silver marcasite-set spacers were machined, and the joining links cut from a length of draw-plated and stamped Silver.
Stylistically, this necklace is an interesting mix of the classic with Art Deco, for the five marcasite-set spacers are Regency in inspiration, while the Carnelians and their squared-off settings lend to the piece that distinct feel of the style Art Deco which had it day in the sun in the years between the two World Wars of the first half of the 20th.Century