Victorian ruby diamond 22k yellow gold tassel earrings

Each of these earrings begins with a pierced, domed gold cap on a graceful hook wire, followed by a gold bead and a larger, bell-shaped cap decorated with openwork, set with round cut rubies and tiny diamonds that wink in the cut-outs. From the cap falls a long tassel of fine gold chain that sways and shimmers with every movement. Five round cut rubies add small points of deep red, and nine old European and rose cut diamonds, approximately 0.05 carat in I color and I clarity, add a quiet sparkle against the warm gold. Crafted in 22k yellow gold, a rich, deep, buttery yellow typical of Victorian jewelry, the earrings measure 2 1/2 inches in length and weigh 13.31 grams together. Circa 1900, they suit someone who loves dramatic, moving earrings with period character, and who wants a pair that catches the light from the neck to the shoulder.