07/02/2026
If you've been watching my videos for a little while, then you know I absolutely LOVE restoring antique jewelry! Sometimes the repair is straightforward, like restringing a coral necklace (that has all of its beads in the proper order). Sometimes it's a bit more of a puzzle, like figuring out what the tops and hooks of these unbelievably beautiful cherub earrings would have looked like.
Despite this style of jewelry being incredibly popular throughout the late Georgian era through the Victorian era, it's surprisingly difficult to find examples of intact pairs of earrings. Most of the pieces that I found that were similar enough to use as a reference were pendants, with one pendant being described as an orphaned, converted earring. That means that this pair is even more special than I initially thought!
Restoring these earrings requires some guesswork, and some compromise. Though I have a decent idea of what the tops should look like, there's almost no way to perfectly match the 200 years of age on the original gilt silver, and sourcing undrilled full seed pearls to create the bezel-set chain seen in one of my references is basically impossible. So, what do we do? We decide what's going to look harmonious, even if it's a more obvious modern replacement. I've settled on making a rosary style chain with antique drilled seed pearls, and topping it off with a silver bow. The hooks will probably be rose gold, just for a more elegant finishing touch.
I will be documenting the entire restoration process, before these exquisite earrings make their way to my site! Stay tuned for more.
