Antique paste jewellery

Antique paste jewellery: This style uses faceted glass to resemble precious stones. This technique is the creation of a French Jeweler to the King of France, Georges Frederic Strass. He mixed lead with glass (hence the name paste) to make the glass highly reflective. He mounted this faceted glass in all kinds of intricate settings. It is said that more skill is required to facet paste than to cut diamond – diamond being harder and therefore easier to work with. Usually set in silver, these 18th centaury jewels boast stones in a wide range of lovely colors, shades and shapes. A wide variety of articles including intricate tiaras were made using this technique.