Victorian Tortoiseshell Piqué Bracelet

A fabulous and rare tortoiseshellAn organic material (not a shell) that is obtained, not from a tortoise, but from the overlapping horny top plates (called ‘blades’) covering the carapace (upper shell) of certain marine turtles, preferably the hawksbill turtle found of the West Indies and Brazil and the loggerhead turtle found near the Celebes. bracelet, inlaid with gold and silverA metallic element which is malleable and ductile, and white in colour, making it ideal for use in jewellery. It is usually mixed with copper to improve its hardness.
. Made circa 1860.