Some gems can only be described as "juicy," and that's exactly what these fire-red Bohemian garnets are. Looking nothing so much like ripe, fresh pomegranate seeds (after all, garnets get their name from the Ancient Greek word for pomegranate), these rose cut gems are piled high in a dramatic combination of teardrop clusters, composed of round stones surrounding a central pear shape, and classic flower-shaped clusters of a central round stone with a halo of smaller garnets. The hooks appear to be a repair or later addition, though the modification was almost certainly made during the 1800s- the hooks have small, notched and rounded ends, a detail that I have not seen on later, 20th century earrings. Like most Bohemian garnet jewelry of this era, the metal is a copper-rich brass alloy known as Tombac, prized for its malleability, golden glow, and resistance to corrosion.
Earrings are in great condition- along with the replacement hooks, there is a small repair to one earring, with the lower loop of the top cluster being replaced. All garnets are intact, with no chips or cracks. The earrings measure 1.5" from top of hook to bottom of drop.
