Larkspur & Hawk Antique Cut Steel Bracelets Ca 1870

Cut steel jewelry represents one of the most inventive triumphs of 18th- and 19th-century craftsmanship. As candlelit soirées became central to social life, jewelers discovered that faceted steel could rival the glitter of diamonds under flickering light. Each tiny stud of polished steel was painstakingly riveted to a metal backing—a laborious process that transformed an industrial material into an object of dazzling refinement.

This pair of bracelets captures that same ingenious spirit. Composed of intricate floral motifs, each bracelet is formed from clusters of faceted steel beads arranged like petals, radiating sparkle with every movement.

England, ca 1870