DATE: Victorian, c.1880

A superb antique round brooch, the face finished in vivid red guilloché enamel and set with a diamond butterfly - around all this is a white enamel border, dotted with gold. It's modelled in 15k gold throughout, and dates to the late 19th Century. A beautiful, high quality piece.

In Victorian symbolic tradition, the butterfly were used as an emblem of the soul. Aside from the obvious visual appeal, the metamorphosis of a butterfly was said to represent the different phases of the human life - the final stage, when the butterfly emerged from its chrysalis and flew away specifically represented the immortal soul leaving the human body in death, and carrying on into the afterlife.

STONES

Rose Cut Diamonds

MEASUREMENTS

19.6mm diameter

WEIGHT

7.6g

MARKS

No marks present, tests as 15k gold

CONDITION

Excellent