Description
This bracelet is a rare example of the Egyptian Revival – the movement that swept European jewellery following the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb in 1922. Against a shimmering ground of pavé diamonds totalling eleven to thirteen carats, a procession of sacred symbols unfolds: the scarab, the Horus falcon, and the lotus flower, each executed in buff-top cabochon rubies, emeralds, and sapphires, outlined in polished black onyx.
The gold mounts (stamped 750) create an effect close to cloisonné enamel – the severity of architectural frieze combined with the vivid colour of temple painting. This technique is characteristic of the finest jewellery orientalism of the early twentieth century.
At 18.2 cm in length and a substantial 54.4 g, the bracelet is a historical object as much as an ornament – uniting the ancient mythology of the Nile with the brilliance of European Art Deco.
