Victorian Garnet Cluster Pendant with Large Cabochon Garnet Center

When I first started in this business, I thought that the reason that garnet jewels like this one were called 'Bohemian' was because they were worn by free spirited woman who might have been the Victorian equivalent of Stevie Nicks. It took me a bit before I realized that it was actually because the garnets were mined in the Kingdom of Bohemia, which is now referred to as The Czech Republic. This wonderful Victorian pendant dates to about 1890, and it’s garnets are that deep, rich and lucious red-wine color that is iconic of Bohemian stones. The center stone is large cabochon cut gem that measures 14 mm across and probably weighs about 12 carats, it is surrounded by a double outer row of rose cut garnets, 32 in all and the pendant is topped by a a small garnet floret of a further 7 rose cuts. The stones are set into low karat ‘garnet gold’ which most pieces from this region and time period are, usually an alloy of about 8 karat gold. The pendant measures 42.6 mm north to south includin