This necklace is a frontier keepsake. It uses three natural gold nuggets to form a shamrock, a motif Victorians loved for its good-luck associations. Unlike polished gold-in-quartz, nugget jewelry keeps the metal exactly as it emerged from the earth. Each lumpy surface and irregular contour is original to the mine, which made these pieces prized souvenirs in mining towns across the American West.
MATERIALS: 3 gold nuggets, 10k gold fittings, new 14k gold chain
AGE: c. 1890
CONDITION: Very good
SIZE: 1" x 3/4", 18" chain