7. Eugène Fontenay for Fontana et Cie, “Necklace,” about 1865

Bijoux Parisiens

This necklace shows fine workmanship in the techniques of filigree (intricate patterns made from thin strands of metal) and hand-embossing (hammering out a design in relief). At the 1867 Universal Exposition in Paris, Eugène Fontenay won praise for Neo-Greek jewelry like this. In admiring and emulating the remarkable skill of ancient goldsmiths, Fontenay helped initiate the 19th-century archeological style.