Set in Stone
Elva Fields
I first fell in love with pietra dura in college, studying the art of Renaissance Italy and the prized works of hand-carved and inlaid stone by celebrated craftsmen in Florence (often funded by the Medici family.) In graduate school, my studies of antique adornment allowed me to see some of the finest examples of pietra dura jewelry up close, and I couldn't get over the precision and detail in the tiny slices of stone cut perfectly to fit within one another, as well as the remarkable selection of hardstone specimens for their shade of hue and intricacy of pattern to create an overall image (often flowers, but occasionally more elaborate subjects.)
When I noticed a pair of antique pietra dura brooches up for auction last year, I placed a bid immediately, uncertain whether I'd keep them for myself or find a way to incorporate them in an Elva Fields design. Well, here we are: over a year later, they've become feature elements at the side of polished aqua terra jasper bead strands, the pale turquoise hue of the beads echoing the hints of bright blue in the blooms of each of the brooches. Though both brooches likely date to the early 1900s (possibly the late 1890s) and very possibly hail from Italy, one shows a golden frame setting, the other a simpler presentation as a stone plaque with a brass pin back on the reverse. Each is a bit different, but a partnered pair nonetheless, and beautiful examples of a highly-treasured art. Matte-finished black onyx beads hint at the deep black onyx backgrounds of each of the brooches, and a 14 karat gold-over-copper toggle clasps at back, the necklace measuring 18.5" overall.
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