There was a special place reserved in each treasure chest for the night jewellery. Considered just as valuable and treasured as real gems, the glass, or paste, in evening jewellery, was used to represent real gems. Oh candlelight, how it could ruin your sparkle. There is no point in wearing diamonds and rubies if no-one can see them glimmer. Diamonds require light. Sunlight preferably, but at least daylight. At night and with dining rooms lit by candle lights, they lose their lustre. That's how the evening jewellery was invented. Made to sparkle under all circumstance, in evening jewellery glass or paste was used, against a coloured foil background, to reflect the tiniest bit of light entering it. The light of a candle could suffice.
This pendant is a good example of it. Mimicking in this case citrines or chrysolites. The beautifully round bubbles at the back were covered with a thin layer of silver paper on the inside. Some colouring and a glas gem to cover it up, and presto, the night jewel was ready for the next dinner party.
18th century gold ‘night jewellery’ paste pendant
The pendant measures about 5.5 cm long and at its broades point, it is 13mm broad. The pendant weighs 3.44 grams. It bears a French essay mark of a horses head, it is 18k gold. On the horses head there is a submark, that probably puts it in the province of Aisne, toward the end of the 18th century.
