Victorian 18ct Gold, Pearl & Diamond Aesthetic Style Brooch

An elegant 18ct75% pure gold (or 750 parts pure gold and 250 parts other metals) gold brooch from the Aesthetic period, around 1870. The period displayed a strong Japanese influence and this design could be based on a Japanese musical instrument. The piece features five naturalA natural stone is called such because it has not been subjected to any treatments.  pearls and three diamonds, total caratThe unit of weight for a diamond or other gemstone and also for a pearl. Abbreviated ‘ct’, 1 carat is equal to 0.2 grams. In reference to gold, a unit of purity or fineness of gold and gold alloy, expressed as a number out of 24 parts by weight, e.g. ’24 carat’ signifies pure gold, ’18 carat’ 18/24th gold in the alloy, et cetera.  Also abbreviated as ‘c… weight 12 pointsA unit of weight for a diamond, being one-hundredth of a metric carat. It is used for weights that are decimal fractions of a carat, and all figures after the second decimal point are, in the diamond and jewellery trade, generally discarded.. The brooch has a strong pin and a safety chainA small chain applied to a piece of jewellery with the purpose of adding additional security to prevent loss. On bracelets and necklaces a safety chain will often join the clasp ends should the clasp fail. On a brooch it is often attached to a small pin which is to be used in tandem with the main brooch pin. with separate pin.