Antique Marseille Ball Necklace
9ct Gold Stamped and Tagged
Circa 1910
This beautiful necklace, known as the 'Marseille Necklace, ' features hollow rose-gold balls strung together on a fox link gold chain. It is secured with a reliable bolt ring clasp, and both the clasp and the first gold ball have 9ct markings. The tradition of this necklace dates back to the 18th century, when gold dealers in Marseille wore their gold in the form of balls around their necks. By the 19th century, this custom had spread among the bourgeoisie, allowing women from Marseille to recognise one another when they met outside the city by wearing the Marseille necklace.
The necklace measures approximately 16 1/4 inches in length and a width of 4mm
Weight 14.2g
All of our items are either Antique, Vintage or Preloved. They are in used condition and may show some signs of age-related wear, light surface scratches or tarnish.
All of our items have been hand-selected by us and carefully checked over by our specialist jeweller.
They are original one-off pieces, so although we may source similar items, we rarely find two identical pieces- making your purchase truly unique. All gemstones are natural stones unless otherwise stated.
Don’t forget to check us out on Instagram @ruby_lovestuesday
Antique boxes are for display purposes only, our items come in beautiful, vintage-style presentation boxes.
Antique Marseille Ball Necklace
9ct Gold Stamped and Tagged
Circa 1910
This beautiful necklace, known as the 'Marseille Necklace, ' features hollow rose-gold balls strung together on a fox link gold chain. It is secured with a reliable bolt ring clasp, and both the clasp and the first gold ball have 9ct markings. The tradition of this necklace dates back to the 18th century, when gold dealers in Marseille wore their gold in the form of balls around their necks. By the 19th century, this custom had spread among the bourgeoisie, allowing women from Marseille to recognise one another when they met outside the city by wearing the Marseille necklace.
The necklace measures approximately 16 1/4 inches in length and a width of 4mm
Weight 14.2g
All of our items are either Antique, Vintage or Preloved. They are in used condition and may show some signs of age-related wear, light surface scratches or tarnish.
All of our items have been hand-selected by us and carefully checked over by our specialist jeweller.
They are original one-off pieces, so although we may source similar items, we rarely find two identical pieces- making your purchase truly unique. All gemstones are natural stones unless otherwise stated.
Don’t forget to check us out on Instagram @ruby_lovestuesday
Antique boxes are for display purposes only, our items come in beautiful, vintage-style presentation boxes.
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