18K Gold Openwork Charm Adorned with Heart shaped Stones

Gem-Set Heart Pendant
Europe, late 19th century
Gold, set with multicolored gemstones

This richly ornamented heart-shaped pendant exemplifies the late-19th- to early-20th-century fascination with sentimental jewelry elevated through color and craftsmanship. The gold heart is constructed as a dimensional lattice, its surface articulated with a continuous pattern of bezel-set gemstones arranged in a honeycomb-like framework. Each stone—varying in hue from rose and garnet red to aquamarine blue, peridot green, and amethyst violet—contributes to a vibrant chromatic mosaic.

Heart motifs held enduring symbolic power in European jewelry traditions, representing love, fidelity, and emotional devotion. In this example, the use of multiple colored stones suggests abundance and emotional richness rather than a single allegory, aligning with the period’s taste for expressive, jewel-like surfaces and tactile forms.

The pendant’s sculptural volume and openwork construction allow light to penetrate from multiple angles, enhancing the brilliance of each stone while preserving a sense of lightness and movement. Intended to be worn close to the body, such a jewel would have functioned both as a personal talisman and as a statement of refined taste.

Today, this pendant stands as a striking example of sentimental jewelry transformed into a jewel of vivid material presence—where color, form, and meaning converge.

Purchased at auction in Paris, France.