QVC Replicates the Cheapside Hoard
QVC is always ahead of the game. In this first time ever where a museum in Great Britain and a TV shopping channel are working together, the Museum of London has licensed QVC to use their collection or brand. The Cheapside Hoard is an exhibition that will open on the 11th of October and it is centred on a collection of jewellery found under a cellar floor more than 100 years ago. QVC has chosen some of the pieces of jewellery that range from Byzantine cameos to 16th and 17th century precious pieces.
The original piece was a Pendant Reliquary dated between the 16th and the 17th century. It was decorated with white enamel and there were motif of flowers and leaves. The QVC version has been made using a Green Agate and enamel and the price is £ 179.00. There is a veil of mystery regarding the discovery of these precious pieces of jewellery. I could hazard a wild guess, Cheapside has got a small street called Jewry Street where jewellers and pawnbrokers had their trade, so it might have been a hidden stash from one of these traders, forgotten for some unforeseeable circumstance.
The original ring was in gold with enamel and with a setting of rubies and one almandine garnet. QVC goldsmiths recreated the irregular cut of the stones that at that time weren't calibrated as they are now and remade the ring with enamel and african garnets. Visiting the exhibition " The Cheapside Hoard: London Lost Jewels" you will see that there is not difference between the original pieces and the reproductions. This beautiful ring will be sold at £ 129.00
The original pendant was gold with enamel and ten pearshape briolette cut amethysts. Enamel was very popular in jewellery up to the 1920s and it is used again in contemporary jewellery. The QVC version has got ten amethysts from Madagascar pearshape cut and faceted with a briolette cut that gives light to this piece of jewellery. The amethysts have been cut in different sizes and it can be bought for £ 199.00.
The original brooch is one of the most precious piece of jewellery found in the Cheapside Hoard. It was made of gold with Colombian cabochion cut emeralds and table cut diamonds. The salamander was very popular in the Tudor and early Stuart period. The QVC version is made with enamel, created emerald and white sapphire. All the jewellery from the Museum of London Collection are in sterling silver. This brooch is priced at £ 189.00.
This pendant is fabulous. The original piece was in gold with enamel and red and green paste. Pendant were very popular during the 16th and 17th century and the Cheapside Hoard has got a great selection of them. The piece made by QVC used a created ruby, a green agate and two pearls at the side that despite not being on the original piece discovered, it is almost sure that those two pegs at the side included a pearl. This stunning piece is sold at £ 99.00. This pendant has got a pair of matching earring as well. There are more jewellery on the catalogue at QVC starting from £ 79.00 up to £ 469.00 and the jewellery can be bought already from www.qvcuk.com and at the Museum of London gift shop during the exhibition.
