Dating to the dawn of the 18th century, this extraordinary necklace is one of the earliest pieces in our collection and a remarkable survival of late 17th- and turn-of-the-century English goldsmithing. The collar is composed of shimmering, faceted rock crystals set over reflective foil within hand-formed silver "bottle cap" collets. In a characteristic mark of period luxury, the reverse of each setting reveals exquisite foliate enamel work, turning the hidden side of the piece into its own secret work of art. The individual rock crystal links are joined together by double strands of wire, leading to the necklace's original integral clasp. Because delicate jewelry from this era was so frequently melted down or altered to suit changing fashions, finding an intact collar from around 1700 in such magnificent condition is exceedingly rare. Worn close to the collarbone, it catches the light with a soft, candlelight brilliance, offering a captivating blend of historic rare craft and modern, sculptural allure. England, ca 1700