Vintage Glass Stone Filigree Earrings

Vintage Glass Stone Filigree Earrings

A pair of vintage earrings set with orange and clear glass stones across delicate filigree openwork. At the centre sits a deep champagne-toned emerald-cut stone, while the upper arch is lined with small orange and clear stones alternating in rhythm. The aged brass tone holds the brilliance of the stones quietly, giving the whole piece a composed, lived-in expression.

These earrings belong to the lineage of German and Austrian glass jewellery descended from the tradition of Gablonz in old Bohemia. From the 19th to early 20th century, Gablonz was the world's centre of glass jewellery, and after the war its craftsmanship was carried into Bavaria. The fine filigree openwork and the layered composition of multiple stones speak directly to that regional craft.

What makes glass stones so compelling is how their expression shifts with the light. Translucent in the morning, with a small flame lit deep inside under the late afternoon slant, sinking into deeper tones beneath the evening lamp. A piece that shows you a different face many times across a single day.

The clip-on fitting means these can be worn without pierced ears. Their depth of colour rests gently against a knit or blouse, a pair with enough presence to stay with you across seasons, especially through autumn and winter.

The brass shows a natural patina from age, and there is light wear around the stone settings, but the overall condition is good.

Material: Glass stones / Brass

Size: Approx. 3cm (H) × 2.5cm (W)

Sourced in: Australia

Era: 1940s-50s

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~ Glass ~

The old Bohemian glassmakers' town of Gablonz — a story of light I have long been drawn to.

Glass shifts its expression depending on where it is placed, the light it catches, the season, the hour of the day. Translucent in the morning light, with a small flame lit deep inside under the late afternoon slant, becoming someone entirely different beneath candlelight at night.

Once within the territory of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, in what is now northern Czech Republic, there was a town called Gablonz. From the 19th to early 20th century, it was the world's centre of glass jewellery — not as solemn as fine gemstones, never cheap, holding that exquisite middle ground that captivated women across the world.

With the end of the Second World War, the German glassmakers of this land moved to Bavaria and built a new town. The land was lost, but the craft survived. Many of the glass jewellery pieces I find today in the markets and dealers of Germany and Austria are the most recent chapter of this long story.