Open-backed settings are a small piece of practical engineering that citrine particularly rewards — light passes straight through the stone from behind rather than bouncing off a solid metal backing, which brings out a depth of colour that a closed setting simply can't manage. Here that technique is paired with a "jagged teeth" mount holding the oval, brilliant-cut stone, roughly 2.5 carats and a deep golden hue, bordered with twisted rope decoration that adds texture without competing with the stone itself.
The bar form is worked in 9ct yellow gold, fluted and bright-cut, with applied rose gold flowers giving a bit of colour contrast against the yellow ground — a nice bit of two-tone detailing that a lot of Victorian bar brooches skip in favour of a single, uniform metal. The reverse retains its original C-clasp along with a small hook for a safety chain, and the piece is fully hallmarked for Birmingham, 1893, made by William Clark Manton, a maker whose mark gives this one a proper dateable pedigree rather than a stylistic estimate.
Citrine measures approximately 2.5ct.
Condition notes
Excellent antique condition. Few tiny nibbles along the facets of the stone; soldering to the little safety hook on reverse; safety pin made of base metal.
