VICTORIAN TARGET BROOCH NECKLACE
VICTORIAN TARGET BROOCH NECKLACE
VICTORIAN TARGET BROOCH NECKLACE
VICTORIAN TARGET BROOCH NECKLACE
VICTORIAN TARGET BROOCH NECKLACE
VICTORIAN TARGET BROOCH NECKLACE
FLEW DESIGNS

VICTORIAN TARGET BROOCH NECKLACE

$499.00
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SILVER
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A Victorian Target brooch hung on an antique Albertina and a fob medal to create a unique necklace

Target brooches were designed to copy the style of jewellery being excavated from Etruscan and Viking sites during that century. The concept of a target, with a central bullseye and radiating concentric circles, originated from the pattern of the cross-section of a tree trunk and was incorporated into many sports as well as jewellery designs.

An Albert chain, usually made of silver or gold, is a watch chain that was worn in the 19th century. It has a "T" bar on one end, which is used to attach the chain to a buttonhole in a waistcoat, while the other end is fitted with a swivel hook to attach the watch. There was usually a small length of chain joined to the end with the "T" bar, to which a fob, seal or a charm was attached. When the watch is placed in the waistcoat pocket, the looped chain and fob-end is visible. The links are often twisted to allow the chain to lie flat on the waistcoat.

The "Albert" chain was supposedly named after a style of chain worn by Prince Albert, the Prince Consort and husband of Queen Victoria.  The "double" Albert was a chain symmetrically draped between both watch pockets on the waistcoat, with the T-bar and pendant chain in the middle. One end of the chain had the watch attached, and the other end of the chain may have had Vesta (match) case, cigar cutter or small pocketknife attached. 

The Albert chain continued to be used for its intended purpose until the early 20th century when the pocket watch was superseded by the wristwatch, after which it became fashionable to wear the Albert chain as a necklace.

An Albertina chain is the name given to a watch chain worn by women. The chains were generally finer than the Albert chains, and often were multi-stranded.

The well-dressed Victorian male followed a strict dress code which included only understated and essential functional jewellery items - a gentleman’s watch chain was one of the last areas of personal expression allowed by a restrained society. The end of the chain with the crossbar was inserted into the buttonhole and the watch was placed into the vest pocket.

The fob was invented to make retrieving a pocket watch easier - this piece was usually a medal or crest that would hang over the front of the pocket and was anchored to the watch chain via a short chain or ribbon.

Flew Designs is the brand founded by local Melbourne-based jeweler and sculptor, Susie Lewis.