Tobi Gem Setting Unveils Rare Victorian Holbeinesque Emerald and Diamond Pendant,

Tobi Gem Setting, the Hatton Garden based independent family-run jewellery business, has added a striking piece of 19th-century craftsmanship to its collection of Tobi Gem Treasures: a Victorian Holbeinesque emerald and diamond pendant dating to approximately 1870.

Crafted in England in solid 18-carat yellow gold, the pendant centres on a hexagonal step-cut natural emerald of roughly 3.60 carats, prized for its strong, even colour. Surrounding the emerald, old mine-cut diamonds add brilliance and definition to the design, while richly coloured enamel in deep reds, greens and blues fills small quatrefoil sections repeated across the piece's oval form. A diamond-set section connects the design to the bale above, while a pear-shaped emerald drop below lends the pendant a sense of movement.

The piece is a rare surviving example of the Holbeinesque style, a Victorian design movement inspired by the ornate portrait jewellery seen in Hans Holbein's 16th-century paintings, in which colour and structural detail were given as much weight as the gemstones themselves. Pieces in this style are seldom found on the market today, making the pendant a notable addition for collectors of antique and period jewellery.

"There are pieces where you notice everything at once, and others that take a moment to reveal themselves," said a spokesperson for Tobi Gem Setting. "This pendant is very much the latter;  the longer you look, the more there is to discover in it."

The pendant is featured as part of Tobi Gem Setting's ongoing "Tobi Gem Treasures" series, which highlights standout pieces from the company's antique and vintage collections. Full details and photography of the pendant are available on the Tobi Gem Setting website.