Six Coral gemstones of well-matched deep orange-red, all claw-set in a Victorian English pendant of very nicely handcrafted 9ct Gold. When sourced earlier this year (2026) in the south of England it was obvious 1: that it had not been worn for a long time, for the Gold settings had dulled; and 2: that before being put away it had gone through an extended period of appreciation and wear, for the rear of the Corals all showed marked accumulation of the natural dirt that long-time wear generates.
Some TLC worked: the 9ct Gold needed a simple buff, and soap and water and a soft toothbrush cleaned the rear of the gemstones.
The Six Coral pendant would have been created around the 1880s, when appreciation for gemstone Coral was at its height in Britain. If it had been crafted in 18ct Gold it could have been presumed French, for it is French in style, but the 9ct Gold of its making pins it as English.