Necklace

The extraordinarily gifted artist Louis C. Tiffany created a number of necklaces featuring a large opal pendant. In this example, he employed one of his favorite color combinations of blue and green, selecting periwinkle-colored Montana sapphires and green demantoid garnets to complement the large, fiery black opal. A hidden surprise is the intricate gold filigree work on the back of the pendant. The filigree, in particular, references his early travels to the Near East, especially North Africa, where he developed an exceptional sensitivity to color and light. Tiffany was more concerned with color and hue than with using diamonds and other precious materials. He especially loved to use native gemstones, such as Montana sapphires, tourmalines from Maine, and freshwater Mississippi pearls.