Victorian Gold Fleur de Lis Watch Pin / Brooch

This wonderful little pin doesn't have any specific history behind it, sadly. There are no markings with which to identify the artist and if I were to try to explain the gold hallmark methods used in 19th century France, this would quickly turn into a meandering and exceedingly dull description. The Fleur de Lis, however, is quite the opposite. It directly translates to 'flower of Lily,' or stylized Lily. The history and significance of this tri-leaf design stretches back centuries and encompasses an entire nation's identity. The origins of the Fleur is still debated but what can be agreed upon is that the Fleur de Lis has come to stand for all things French. From government buildings and flags to popular culture, the symbol has permeated every aspect of French society. Yes, there are Fleurs de Lis used elsewhere in the world. Florence, Italy uses the Fleur on their city's coat of arms, but it differs slightly. Arms of Bosnia used the Fleur on their coat of arms in the 90s, as well. But also, the design doesn't quite match up. Even the Fleur de Lis adorning the Quebec provincial flag in Canada is of a slightly different design. The Fleur de Lis we see here stretches back more than a full millennia, back to the pre-renaissance France, when the Frankish Kings rules the continent and Charlemagne fought to expand the Empire of Francia.

This piece is in good condition. There are a few scratches, but no dings or dents - the wear is commensurate with over a century of use. The C-clasp is in excellent condition and (other than offer us a perfect method of dating this little beauty) functions wonderfully. The C-clasp design you see here was abandoned around the turn of the century in lieu of clasps that offered a little more security for one's gold, dangling just out of reach of petty thieves' pilfering paws. Tested positive for 14 kt gold, this would have been a valuable piece during the 1800s. It measures just over 2.5 cm tall and just under 2 cm wide and it weighs in at 1.82g.

A wonderful piece of history, it's still in wonderful condition and just itching to find its way onto someone's coat or sweater.

As always, should you have any questions, I'm always happy to chat. Feel free to drop me a line and I'll respond by day's end.

Thanks for visiting C&K!