Tanzanite and Mauritanian Antique Silver Necklace
On offer is a pair of delicate necklaces made of tanzanite and antique Mauritanian silver and gold wash granulated filigree beads. This unusual combination of a relatively new gem (tanzanite was only discovered in 1960s), and venerable antique beads made by Berber silversmiths a century earlier creates an attractive necklace of rare color and texture. Tanzanite, a pleasant light purple color in bright daylight, can look blue when the light falls on it just right, and becomes more succulent purple in the evening lights. Note the difference in color in the attached photos. That difference is what you can actually see depending on the light.
The tanzanite beads are round, about 9 mm in diameter. The Mauritanian granulated filigree silver and gold-wash beads are approximately 8-9 mm. These are antique hand-made beads, varying slightly in size and shape. Some beads show slight defects appropriate for their age. Some of these beads have clear traces of gold wash, but most are silver. The intricate details of each bead are unique, and no two are exactly alike. These beads come from The Rita Okrent Collection and are quite scarce.
The beads are separated by tiny Ethiopian spares of silver tone.
The necklace is made in two parts which are intended to be worn together for a full effect but are created separately for extra versatility. The shorter one is 23" long, with an antique barrel clasp. The longer necklace has a special detail - handmade 9 mm sterling silver beads with tiny diamonds on both sides ( 0,04 karats Single cut and Rose Cut Natural diamonds from Surat, India)
(Diamonds on both sides)
About Tanzanite: Tanzanite is called after the East African state of Tanzania where it was discovered in 1967. Prized for its unusual color ranging from violet to blue, it is a rare highly valued gem. All of the known deposits are confined to a few square miles of land in northern Tanzania, so their supply is quite limited.
