FINE JEWELLERY, WATCHES, SILVER & COINS 22nd January 2025 at 12pm

6 LIVE AUCTION OF FINE JEWELLERY, WATCHES, SILVER & COINS • WEDNESDAY, 22nd JANUARY 2025 AT 12PM similar form, shape or structure.Another example of this is Feldspar, so think of Moonstone and Labradorite, two different gems but both varieties of Feldspar. The name Garnet comes from the Latin Granatum meaning pomegranate, due to the deep reds often found in Garnets, such as Pyrope. And so, it is maybe not so unsurprising that they were a very popular stone in ancient Rome. Thanks to their vivid colours which conveyed wealth and status, both impor tant pillars of Roman society. Their relative ease of fashioning, they can still be found in signet rings dating back as far as the 3rd and 4th centuries, depicting classical figures or deities. Going back even fur ther, the Ancient Egyptians used them as inlays for carvings and intaglios and in jewellery. They were referred to as the symbol of life. Garnet continued popularity with Nobility through the Middle Ages, thought to ward off pestilence and plague. And used as talismans for protection by warriors.The Anglo-Saxons fashioned them as domed cabochons or sometimes faceted into pendants, brooches and buckles.The Victorians were famous for their love for garnets, a lot of these examples come up in our Auctions here at O’Reilly’s often. Usually fashioned as cabochons and set into brooches or pendants, sometimes accompanied by diamonds and other gemstones. Silicates are one of the most impor tant chemical groups of gems. Most of the rocks making up the ear th's crust are made of various chemical elements combined with silicon and oxygen chemically bonded units. This is why Garnets are so abundant, and also why they have been popular for thousands of years. Found in nearly every corner of the earth, for example Almandine in Brazil and China to Demantoid in Russia. Spessar tine in Sri Lanka and Pyrope in Czechia, to name but a few. As with other gemstones, quality determines whether Garnets are faceted or cut as cabochons. Garnets are usually very durable except for demantoid which is the softest of all garnets. For the most Lot 247 A PAIR OF GARNET DROP EARRINGS, mounted in 18ct yellow gold Estimate €300 - €450 Lot 217 A PAIR OF DIAMOND AND DIAMOND DROP EARRINGS, the marquise cut garnet dropped from a diamond set chain, mounted in 18ct yellow gold. Estimated: weight of diamonds: 0.10 ct, garnet: 5.50 ct Estimate €450 - €650