Vintage Leda and the Swan 14k gold shell cameo brooch or pendant. pnvc1071

Wearable Greek mythology. A stunning classical portrait of Leda and Zeus disguised in the form of a swan. In legend she was approached by the god Zeus whom thereby impregnated Leda, from which the goddess Helen of Troy was born. Her role as the mother of some illustrious offspring as well as her notorious affair with Zeus, makes Leda a mythological heroine worth remembering. This cameo brooch is carved from Italian shell with excellent detail and well-proportioned scale. The natural colors of the shell are utilized in the relief of the carved figures. The brooch is framed in gold wire work and it can be hung on a chain and worn as a pendant. The frame is 14k gold and it is stamped 585 (a designation of gold purity). The piece measures 2 1/4 x 1 5/8 x 3/8 inches and weighs 9.2 grams. It is in excellent condition with very little wear.