An elongated garnet is the beetle's body, but the real artwork is his thorax, abdomen, antennae and legs - all are naturalistically rendered in 14k gold. The 1880's was a time of intense interest in the natural sciences; Darwin's theories were reverberating throughout the Western world. Even the tiniest creatures were examined and collected with reverential wonder.
MATERIALS: 14k gold, 17mm x 8.5mm garnet cabochon (measured from visible gem),
AGE: c. 1880
SIZE: 1" x 3/8".