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Georgian /Early Victorian Gold Gilt Pinchbeck Long Chain Circa 1800

Sale price$2,100.00 AUD

Laybys welcome! Contact Us today to secure your dream piece.
As wearable today as it was 200 plus years ago this heavy and long Georgian ‘Pinchbeck’ as they are commonly called chain, or gold gilt which is perhaps more appropriate ***(read below).

Dating to the late 18th century, or the Fin de siècle, this sturdy and heavy chain is made up of cable links with an embossed dotted pattern.
Heavy at 72 grams and each link measures approx 7mm in diameter and 4mm each wide.

Held securely with a 2.5cm long sturdy dog clip which probably is not original, this chain may have had a barrel or hand clasp originally, however it does not matter as it matches in hue perfectly.

Long enough to at 96cm to wrap around the neck twice, or wear it long, both options look beautiful

History of Pinchbeck

“Pinchbeck is a form of brass an alloy of copper and zinc, mixed in proportions so that it closely resembles gold in appearance. It was invented in the early 18th century by Christopher Pinchbeck, a London clock and watchmaker.

Since gold was affordable only by the upper classes at that time, the development of pinchbeck allowed ordinary people to buy gold 'effect' jewellery on a budget. The inventor allegedly made pinchbeck jewellery clearly labelled as such.  The original Pinchbeck was made by Christopher Pinchbeck and his decedents until the 1830s.
The family kept its exact formula a secret, but others guessed the alloy's two components and began to experiment with their own mixes, some more successfully than others.

Others tried to pass off jewellery made from their own formulas as gold, but the Pinchbeck family always made it clear that their metal was a substitute. Over time, the term Pinchbeck was often used generically to refer to all types of gold substitutes.
Today the term is widely used to describe original Pinchbeck or gilt metal from other producers from this era.

Pinchbeck fell out of use in the second half of the 19th century being replaced by low carat gold which had been legalised in the in 1854”.

STONES
None
ERA
Georgian 1714-1830
MEASUREMENTS
96cm
WEIGHT
72 Grams
MARKS
None
CONDITION
This chain is 200 plus years old.  Under close examination there are tiny losses to ‘pinchbeck’ / gold gilt, but over all this chain is bright and lush.  No repairs to links, very solid.  Clasp is excellent, spring arm very tight.


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