Going Blind for Beauty

Pictured is a museum-quality truly magnificent Victorian micro mosaic necklace that converts into a brooch circa 1860s. The necklace also has a pair of matching earrings. They are examples of Archaeological inspired jewelry that was influenced by excavations in Italy and Egypt. Other mosaics depict influences from voyages to India and Japan. The sun never set on the ever expanding British Empire and her royal subjects wanted jewelry to reflect the county’s diversity and thirst for knowledge.


There are two types of micro mosaics: Florentine, also known as pietra dura, (shown) and less valuable Roman. Florentine micro mosaics are created by using small pieces of cut gemstones; coral, onyx, malachite, turquoise, lapis, opal and moonstone, to name a few, which are then affixed in grooved recesses usually on a black marble or onyx background. The designs are predominantly flora and fauna or portraits of the ever popular family dog. Roman mosaics, which are still made for tourists today are inlaid colored glass and lack the refined detail of the Florentine works. The Roman mosaic is often of ancient runes or flowers and generally is framed in a gold-plated frame for use as a pin.

As the work is so detailed and miniature it resulted in many a child aged craftsperson loosing their eyesight creating pietra duras.