If this candy-colored riviere necklace was gold instead of pinchbeck, it would be three times the price. But that was (and IS) the benefit of "pinch", an ingenious gold dupe developed hundreds of years ago. The inventor, in 1720, kept his formula a secret for his entire lifetime. It looks EXACTLY like gold. Never tarnishes, never fades. The jewelers who worked with it used the same painstaking setting techniques as they would have with gold. The stones? Juicy carnelian. We were thrilled to find such a gorgeous piece, and we're psyched to share the many joys of Pinchbeck with you.
The MATERIALS: pinchbeck, bevel-edge rectangular carnelian cabochons
AGE: c. 1860
CONDITION: Very good
SIZE: 16" length, 1/2" at the widest point