18th Century Grand Tour "Two Monks with Dinner" Pietra Dura Plaque miniature tests as 18k gold and

tests as 18k gold and platinum

The stones have survived remarkably well

This very special little object is a patch box

An exquisite Victorian safety pin crafted in 15 karat gold and furnished with an old mine cut diamond

A spectacular Georgian cluster ring set with juicy pink-purple garnets - a halo of smaller stones arranged around a 4

18th Century Grand Tour "Two Monks with Dinner" Pietra Dura Plaque miniature tests as 18k gold andDATE: 18th Century, c. 1720 I mistook this for a painting at first.. but it's actually the most incredible Florentine Pietra Dura (literally hard stone) mosaic portraying two monks delighting in the food from a copper pot. The execution, the details and selection of stone (particularly depicting the faces and the plate of charcuterie), is utterly breathtaking with seemingly seamless edges where the stones have been meticulously cut to fit around each