A luscious, round faceted, rose red garnet radiates within a rose-cut diamond halo twinkling like morning dews on a winter rose. Photos just do not do justice to how rich and sweet the color of this extraordinary rhodelite garnet is….
c.1900
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In morning light
The rose color blooms even more flamboyant in twilight.
Today , I’m going to talk about my favorite scene from a period drama, which is BBC’s adaptation of “Pride and Prejudice” in 1995. Probably some of Austin’s geeks can see why I have to post this on November 26th.
It is not the famous wet shirt scene where Collin Firth as Mr. Darcy electrified millions of women viewers. (Sorry for the fans! Though I admit I find it quite lovely the way he was embarrassed when he met Lizzy after bathing) But the dance scene at the Netherfield ball.
Austin set two important balls in “P&P" which shift the story. One is the local ball where Lizzy and Mr.Darcy meet each other for the first time and she decides to dislike him and the other is Netherfield ball where two main characters confront with each other in perfectly elegant setting of Regency ball.
In Austin’s time, dances were immensely important in social life as unmarried women and men were not allowed to talk unchaperoned. When couples are dancing, it was customary to dance 2dances in a row which provides them with almost 30 minutes to talk or if you like, court while they were proceeding one side of the floor to the other.
So you can see how eagerlyballs were awaited, especially the grander like Netherfield ball was a once in a lifetime opportunity for girls hunting for husbands.
What I find fabulous about the dance scene in this drama is electricity between the two main characters.
As they are dancing there is almost an intellectual fight between them yet you can see that they are attracted to each other at the same time. They come together and part come together and part... Their relationship at that time is beautifully laid out in the graceful 8-step circle. There is a lot of stamping feet and some turns they make are like that of a matador. The music and the lines are so perfectly in match that it feels that no special effects are needed. It is just natural… I rarely find period dramas better than originals but scenes like these are few of happy moments when I feel that way.
Jennifer Ehle as Lizzy is in Greek style high-waisted dress and her hair is adorned with
naturalistic silk flower accessories and a string of pearls which was the fashion of the time.
Lizzy always wears a modest garnet cross at her throat during the course of the drama
which I feel reflects her inner passion as well as social rank.
(Jane Austin owned one made of topaz)
Left: Georgian garnet cross pendant c.1800
In Georgian England, this type of flat cut garnet was very popular
A sizable cabochon almandine 'star' garnet shimmers and glows from a classic halo setting, hand crafted in silver over gold, and outlined with sparkling antique old mine-cut diamonds.
A graceful scroll design on the shank completes this early-Victorian beauty.
Often seen in corundum (sapphires and rubies) , star effect (asterism) is rarely to be seen in garnet and even more difficult to find in antique rings. Truly collectable treasure.
c.1840-1860 Sold
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