Chinese Lace Gold Bracelet 20k Vintage
Mid century Chinese gold bracelet set with diamonds in 20k.
A softly articulating gold jewelry modelled after lace, this Straits Chinese bracelet comprises minute components linked up to form its whole.
These types of gold ‘charm’ bracelets were made throughout the 19th century, with fewer made by hand by the 1960s. Subsequent pieces were heavier in gold but less tactile.
These earlier pieces were finely made, the gold work tapered and smooth, hence they were very golden, but somehow featherweight on the hand. Its intricacy was intact, without gaudiness.
That is one way we can tell which era these bracelets were made, by way of their daintiness.
We tend to value these older bracelets due to their disappearing craftsmanship in later pieces.
The attraction of such textured, seemingly ornate gold work has roots in Byzantine culture. The bead work is sometimes known in the West as ‘Etruscan’, though we see many instances of these gold work in traditional jewelry everywhere, especially of Indian origin.
The bracelet measures 6.5″, at only 11mm wide.
