United Kingdom. A Gold Filigree Maltese Cross, C.1900

In Gold, with various marks on the ring, weighing 14.8 grams inclusive of its neck cord, measuring 43 mm (w) x 55 mm (h), exception intricate detail, on its full-length black neck cord, extremely fine.

Footnote: Filigree is a delicate kind of jewellery metalwork, usually of gold and silver, made with tiny beads or twisted threads, or both in combination, soldered together or to the surface of an object of the same metal and arranged in artistic motifs. It often suggests lace and remains popular in Indian and other Asian metalwork. It was popular as well in Italian, French and Portuguese metalwork from 1660 to the late nineteenth century. The English word filigree is shortened from the earlier use of filigreen which derives from Latin "filum" meaning thread and "granum" grain, in the sense of small bead.