The Lorraine Jewel

(via Diamond Cuts in Historic Jewelry:1381-1910) Herbert Tillander writes:

This rich gold and enamel pendant has been part of the Wittelsbach Collection since Prince Elector Maximilian I inherited it from his first wife, Elizabeth of Lorraine, in 1637. The early history of the jewel is unknown, but experts assume it to be of south German origin and date is to about 1600. The pendant as it was when it was in Elizabeth’s possession, a masterpiece of craftsmanship and good taste, is in no way matched by the ‘new’ pendant into which it was later transformed. The goldsmith entrusted with the alteration had neither the skill nor the artistic sensibility of its original creator.

My first impression on seeing this jewel was that the pendeloque-shaped diamond at the top must be a modern replacement because of its exceptional brilliance and rich faceting. But a careful examination made it clear that the setting had never been touched: the metal was not scratched and the enamel was intact. I realized that I was in the presence of an early gem of masterly fashioning, what one might call an ‘experimental’ brilliant. This and the other diamonds in the pendant, all carefully chosen and of great beauty, show that the jewel was intended to be exceptionally magnificent, displaying only the very best gems. A document of 1637 mentions as the main feature a ‘large triangular diamond’. A few years later this diamond was unset and replaced by a gold triangle set with several smaller diamonds. There is no record of the whereabouts of the large gem.

In attempting to reconstruct the jewel in its original form, it was necessary to decide on the most plausible shape for this large triangular diamond. I toyed with the idea of a triangular Table Cut, or a Gothic Rose Cut with trihedral faceting similar to the four surrounding diamonds, but neither of these seemed adequate. I was also strongly tempted to reproduce the design of the French Blue (now the Hope Diamond) as it was when it was fashioned in 1673, but since I could find no evidence that such a design existed at the beginning of the century, I settled for a rich faceting to match the pendeloque at the top.

This pendeloque is beautifully proportioned. It measures 18 x 13 mm, and has a square table formed by two triangles. There are thirteen facets, mostly triangular, applied all over the crown. The culet is shaped like a kite, closely following the outline of the gem. The five pavilion facets are excellent reflectors and create amazing light effects.

The four medium-sized triangular, trihedrally faceted diamonds surrounding the large triangle are regular Rose Cuts. As was often the case when display was required, the corners are blunt, and in some stones even missing altogether. The sharp triangular effect is achieved by the setting.

The faceting of the Point Cut—the largest of the stones in the gold triangle—was inspired by a crystal with narrow dodecahedral facets instead of edges. The double pyramid is 11 x 11 mm in size, and the angle of inclination is just 2° below the octahedral angle. The four rectangular diamonds in the triangle are normal Table Cuts, again with blunt corners. There are also two smaller Table Cuts and two small Point Cuts. Three fine pearls, typical of Renaissance pendants and documented in this one, are now missing.