Circa 1880 Victorian Bohemian Garnet Necklace

Dating to circa 1880, this Victorian necklace features richly colored Bohemian garnets set in traditional garnet gold. Small, clustered garnet links encircle the neck, gradually giving way to increasingly elaborate floral elements and suspended pear-shaped garnets, culminating in a large oval pendant densely set with concentric arrangements of faceted garnets. Larger stones create the central flower and outer border, while smaller garnets fill the spaces between them, producing an almost continuous field of deep claret red. 

Bohemia, now part of the Czech Republic, became particularly celebrated for garnet jewelry during the 19th century. Rather than relying upon a single large gemstone, Bohemian jewelers frequently assembled numerous smaller garnets into elaborate clusters, rosettes, and geometric arrangements. The style became fashionable throughout Europe during the Victorian era.

This necklace is also a wonderful example of garnet gold, a historical term associated with Bohemian garnet jewelry. Despite its name, garnet gold does not necessarily indicate solid or karat gold. The term referred to gold-colored metals and composite materials that provided a warm setting for the deep red stones while allowing the garnets to dominate the design.