Georgian jewelry is known for its coded symbolism and messages, including acrostic letters, flowers, hearts, and so much more. Here, these beautifully scaled and proportioned earrings center on butterflies with their delicate antennae floating just below the wires. Most likely beginning their life in England as an amorous gift, the butterflies take flight as a reminder of hope, beauty, rebirth, endurance, and love.

These garnets are not the dark and dreary sort, rather they are a brilliant, rosy color that was achieved by cutting them thinly, placing them on top of glowing foil that lined closed-back settings, and framing them with delicate bezels. Emily loves these earrings for their shape, materials, and symbolism as well as for their craftsmanship. It is worth noting that each earring has over 90 stones, none of which are calibrated, meaning that each setting was hand made to enclose every stone. A very rare find that belongs in either a well-established or emerging antique jewelry collection.

Probably England, ca 1780