This antique jewelry item is a Victorian bangle bracelet with rose-cut diamonds crafted in 18k yellow gold, weighs 30.2g and measures 8.7 inches around the wrist and has a width ranging between 2.5mm and 7.5mm. This highly ornate and classically elegant Victorian bracelet of European workmanship depicts an immaculately crafted serpent sculptured in textured yellow gold to produce the natural and anatomically accurate scales of the snake's skin, while a pair of old mine-cut 'pinkish-red' rubies cumulatively weighing 0.06cts graded 'fair' clarity draw immediate attention to the serpent's fiery eyes. The naturally coiled tail and the bejeweled head of the snake are preserved in untextured gold and cumulatively adorned with a total number of thirty increasingly rare rose-cut diamonds of graduating sizes, bead-set within delicately chased surrounds. Foliage-themed engravings and fine mille grain application at the tail end enhance the ornate aesthetic of this Victorian work of art. The open ends of this bangle bracelet allow it to be worn on wrists in limited excess of 8.75 inches.

Serpents have long symbolized the concept of eternity and used as a talisman for longevity, health, and vitality. To the Aztec Indians the snake was a symbol of the sun and denoted the concept of perpetual time. The serpent was an important symbol to the ancient Egyptians and Egyptian divinities were depicted with snakes around their heads as a symbol of power. In India, the serpent served as a talisman for knowledge, wisdom, and understanding and in the Greek mythology, serpents were sacred to the great god of medicine, Aesculapius, from the idea that its life id renewed each time their skin is shed. Aesculapius carried a staff called a ‘caduceus’ around which was entwined a serpent as a symbol of health. It was from the staff of Aesculapius that the modern symbol of medical science was derived. For the Romans, serpent was the god of the household and rings in the form of a coiled serpent were worn to preserve health. A rebirth of the serpent in jewelry took place when Prince Albert presented a serpent engagement ring to Queen Victoria and the serpent was worn as a talisman of good luck, in vogue throughout the Victorian era.

EL110B1RD

Suggested Retail Price: $5,000.00 Your Price: $3,250.00 $2,500.00 Wholesale Price: $2,500.00