18-Carat Gold and Blue John Pendant with Rabbit Ear Bail

Description

Heading : 18-Carat gold and Blue John pendant – chain not included

Description : Curved piece of polished Blue John set in an 18-carat gold mount

Size : 46cm 5.3x3cm pendant

Weight : 16 grams

A truly remarkable piece of Blue John jewellery.

Blue John is a banded fluorite found in the vicinity of Castleton, Derbyshire. The origins of the name are uncertain, possibly French or from itinerant Cornish miners, however, the colours within the mineral can be blue, yellow, violet and amethyst banded with white. Indeed some pieces can display a rose like tint. Resources are becoming increasing scarce. In the late 18th and early 19th century Matthew Boulton the highly regarded silversmith made large elaborately decorated urns with Blue John and silver ormolu. Large bowls were made for silver epergnes and there are some lavish table tops cut from single pieces. As a native British gemstone it is without equal.