An 18ct gold and tsavorite necklace, featuring a rare 13th-century seal pendant with gilding.
This evocative piece centres on a medieval personal seal, elegantly shaped from copper alloy and bearing a later gilt finish. The shield-shaped pendant is engraved with a stylised bird and a Latin inscription translating as "Secret Seal".
Originally designed to be worn on a cord or chain, the elegant aesthetic allowed the seal to serve as adornment too. It is possible the piece functioned alongside an identification seal but could also have been used alone to mark letters anonymously.
As a keeper of messages the shield pendant serves as a signifier of shared intimacy.
