The Shrine of the Three Kings in Cologne Cathedral is generally considered to be the largest and most important goldsmith's object in the West. The immeasurable abundance and quality of the gems, gems, cameos and the embossed gold ornaments and figures as well as the exquisite delicacy of the enamel jewelery are breathtaking. And last but not least, the fullness and brilliance of a very special goldsmith's technique: filigree.
It was therefore a very special pleasure for us to have a selected example of this high-quality filigree jewelery from the shrine of the Three Kings - there, for example, below the Figure of Saint Amos – to be transferred to a pendant made of gold-plated silver.
The filigree made of rolled pearl wire, spherical rosettes, wire pistons and small decorative beads is certainly one of the most elaborate ornamental jewelery that has survived from the Middle Ages.
Each individual decorative element of our pendant was also specially made by hand: First, the corded and soldered filigree wire was formed into the decorative tendrils and laid on. Then the tiny little wire pistons were wound from previously specially annealed silver wire and inserted between the tendril ornaments. Then all the decorative beads were made individually by melting pieces of silver wire and placed in the end loops of the decorative tendrils or even welded together beforehand to form a flower rosette.
At the very end of the lengthy preparations, all the ornaments could be mounted on the substructure by means of dust soldering, before the pendant was then gilded with a rich fine gold coating.
There is another special feature in the center of the pendant: an indigolite, i.e. a very rare blue-green tourmaline with fabulous inclusions in a medieval hallmark setting, also taken from the shrine of the Three Kings. Indigolites are among the finest and therefore most valuable tourmaline variations. The cut goes perfectly with a medieval jewelry replica.
Our indigolite is even two-tone, combining the sensational emerald green with the incomparable tourmaline blue. The decorative inclusions of the tourmaline are typical of these special gemstones.
As you can clearly see, we have once again dispensed with any cold technical perfection. The medieval charm of such a piece of jewelery could not be achieved with a mirror-smooth surface and precisely symmetrical filigree. The pendant eye also looks rather slightly in the direction of her right shoulder 😉 and the central frame is reminiscent of a wild group of children holding hands.
Most of our customers appreciate precisely this fidelity to the original patina of the antique models. That's why we spend a lot of time getting as close as possible to the appearance of the original objects during the technical implementation. We hope that we have again succeeded in convincingly with this extraordinary filigree pendant.
As always, we would be happy to make this pendant for you – with a comparable gemstone – in gold. Please Ask us just afterwards...