Ellicott Clock Case Sterling Silver Earrings with Amethyst

Product Description

Inspired by a motif carved into the side of the clock case of an antique English clock dated to 1740, these Ellicott Clock Case Sterling Silver Earrings with Amethyst feature a design full of movement and whimsy. A profusion of delicate C scrolls and piercing convey a sense of lightness and fancy characteristic of the 18th-century rococo style. 

Features

• Sterling silver earrings with amethyst stone
• Measures l/2"L x 1/4"W
• Leverback closures
• A Colonial Williamsburg exclusive!

Product Care

Clean with a non-abrasive silver polishing cloth.

Inspiration

The table clock that inspired this pendant design was made in London by John Ellicott around 1740 and is now part of the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation collections (object #1954-996). See the original in our digital collections. A small medallion motif carved into the side of the clock case matches our pendant design.

Case clocks use weight-driven movements regulated by pendulums housed in wooden cases. Clockmakers put together the mechanical movement while specialists were often engaged to cast the brass gears for the movement and engrave decoration or the maker's name on the clock dial. Cabinetmakers or joiners made the wooden cases while still more specialists might produce inlaid wooden elements or painted motifs and patterns to ornament the clock cases. The style and design of clock movements, especially their dials, and clock cases changed over time with new advances, evolving fashions, and regional preferences.