The Revival Collection - Georgian Cut Steel Stud Earrings
Bright like a diamond!
The Revival Collection features redesigned one of a kind pieces using antique materials.
No.361
STORY:
Cut steel was (arguably) invented by the the British in 1770. Strict laws at the time meant that only Royal Court members were able to wear diamonds and marcasites. The British inventor, Matthew Bolton, created cut steel as a legal and affordable imitation for diamonds.
It was a painstaking process creating just one single button. Each tiny steel stone had to be hand facetted, polished and riveted to it's frame. It wasn't possible to mass produce them and as such were still quite an expensive item to own at the time. The more facets a piece had, the more valuable it was.
Cut steel was created at a time before electricity and offered the most amazing sparkle by candlelight. Cut steel jewellery eventually became so popular that the Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte is said to have given his second bride, Marie-Louise, a full suite of the jewellery as a wedding gift in 1810.
These earrings have been crafted from Georgian era cut steel buttons. The buttons were rescued from an old factory in Norwich, England, having never made their way to market. Norwich was renown the world over in the shoe industry dating to the late 1700s.
The antique buttons have been set onto sterling silver posts by a professional jeweller giving these forgotten treasures a chance to sparkle again.
HOW TO WEAR:
Cut steel jewellery is prone to rusting which is why so few pieces have survived. It is important you store them in a dry place and keep them out of water. If wet, be sure to dry them properly and air them out. They cannot tolerate any chemical cleaning as this will dull their sparkle. I recommend polishing them with a polishing cloth.
Measurements:
The buttons measure 11mm width with each steel stone measuring 1.8mm in diameter.
Hallmarks:
The earring butterfly backs are stamped "925"
Materials:
Cut steel, brass and sterling silver
Provenance:
England
