19 th. C. Rosecut Garnets with Ruby and Seed Pearls Austro Hungarian Lingerie Necklace - SOLD

Exquisitely handcrafted, this one-of-a-kind drop necklace combines the romantic elegance of 19th-century Austro-Hungarian design with Jill Garber’s signature luxury artistry. Six Mother-of-Pearl festoons cascade gracefully alongside a harmonious ensemble of rose-cut garnets, natural rubies, delicate seed pearls, and antique pastes, creating a luminous interplay of color and texture.

The ornate links are composed of eight individual antique Austro-Hungarian pendants and accented with ten newly-cut natural garnet cabochons, each framed in intricate beaded filigree, reflecting centuries of fine European craftsmanship. At the base, an Austro-Hungarian floral pendant forms the crowning element for a bold and dramatic drop, embodying both historical sophistication and contemporary luxury.

Every detail exemplifies Jill Garber’s mastery of integrating antique treasures into modern wearable art, creating a piece that is at once collector-worthy, historically significant, and exquisitely romantic.

• Eight fine antique Austro-Hungarian filigree links set with natural garnets, rubies, seed pearls, and old-cut pastes

• Ten sterling silver filigree-framed links containing 8 x 10 mm natural garnets

• Six 8 mm and two 10 mm Mother-of-Pearl cabochon drops

• 1.75-inch diameter antique Austro-Hungarian pendant containing natural garnets, rubies, seed pearls, and old-cut pastes

• Original antique Austro-Hungarian deep red garnet clasp

• Handcrafted in sterling silver with signature Jill Garber studio patina

*  Bohemian garnets, particularly popular during the 18th and 19th centuries, are celebrated for their deep, rich red hue and distinctive rose-cut faceting, which creates a soft, romantic sparkle reminiscent of candlelight on a winter’s evening. Mined primarily in Bohemia (modern-day Czech Republic), these garnets became a hallmark of Austro-Hungarian and European jewelry, often set in intricate gold or silver filigree for necklaces, bracelets, and earrings. The rose-cut technique, featuring a flat base and a domed, faceted top, allowed jewelers to maximize the stone’s luminosity without modern polishing methods, giving each gem a uniquely glowing and antique character. Today, these garnets are prized by collectors and designers alike for their historical significance, depth of color, and timeless elegance, making them a perfect feature in museum-quality and luxury artisan jewelry.

*  Austro-Hungarian jewelry, flourishing during the 18th and 19th centuries under the Habsburg Empire, is celebrated for its exquisite craftsmanship, intricate metalwork, and romantic elegance. These pieces often combined filigree, enamel, and gemstones, including garnets, rubies, and seed pearls, to create ornate, highly detailed designs. The period is particularly renowned for its floral motifs, architectural symmetry, and bold pendant drops, reflecting both Baroque and Rococo influences, while incorporating local artistic traditions from Bohemia, Hungary, and Austria. Jewelry from this era frequently celebrated symbolism, romance, and opulence, serving as both status symbols and wearable art.

Collectors prize Austro-Hungarian pieces for their museum-quality detail, vibrant gemstones, and historical significance, making them highly desirable for modern jewelry reinterpretations by artisans like Jill Garber.