Important diamond pendant, circa 1840

Of floral design, set with a pear-shaped diamond, the petals set with cushion-shaped, circular-, single-cut and rose diamonds.

Princess Mary Althea Beatrix Doria Pamphilj, 

Princess Emily Augusta Doria Pamphilj,

thence by descent.

This pendant was designed as a drop to an earlier rivière necklace, the central pear-shaped diamond possibly came from the fabled mines of the Golconda region in India. A stone of this size must have been considered exceptional at the time and the jeweller who handled it, treated it with great care. Rather than lose weight by cutting its girdle to eliminate a flaw on its side, he cleverly camouflaged the imperfection with a silver patch just as during the Renaissance chipped cameos and intaglios of Greek and Roman time were repaired with gold plaques.