{"product_id":"rebecca-rau-pillar-of-light-necklace","title":"Rebecca Rau Pillar of Light Necklace","description":"Spanning nearly two millennia, \u003cem\u003ePillar of Light\u003c\/em\u003e by Rebecca Rau brings an exceptional 8.38-carat fancy yellow-brown diamond into dialogue with two historic treasures. The elongated, faceted crystal hangs beneath a Roman bronze openwork fitting, suspended from a handmade Russian silver chain. Part of Rau’s THEN \u0026amp; NOW collection, the necklace is the first in the series to combine two separate historic artifacts with a world-class gemstone. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The diamond’s remarkable faceted crystal form inspired the design. Broad, transparent planes reveal its water-like clarity, while facets at the base scatter rainbow light. Nearly colorless in appearance under incandescent light, the gem takes on a warm peach glow in daylight. GIA confirms its Type IIa classification, the most chemically pure category of diamond, distinguished by exceptional optical transparency. Fewer than 2% of natural gem diamonds belong to this rare category. A custom 18K yellow gold cap, pavé-set on both sides with rubies totaling 0.64 carat, crowns the stone. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Above the diamond, a Roman bronze belt fitting, dating to approximately 100–300 CE, retains its pierced ornament and rich green patina. Its ancient surface contrasts with the luminous geometry of the gem below. The Russian silver chain, dating to circa 1800, was shaped and joined entirely by hand. Its intricate construction belongs to the tradition of Orthodox devotional adornment, wherein chains were used to suspend a cross. Together, these elements preserve the craftsmanship of their respective eras within a distinctly contemporary jewel. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e A fourth-generation antiquarian whose great-grandfather founded M.S. Rau, Rebecca Rau draws upon a lifetime spent among exceptional art and antiques. Her THEN \u0026amp; NOW collection reimagines historic artifacts as one-of-a-kind jewels. In \u003cem\u003ePillar of Light\u003c\/em\u003e, ancient bronze, handmade silver and an exceptionally rare diamond each retain their individual character within a singular design. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/library.rauantiques.com\/Report_32-3539.pdf\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eDownload the Report\u003c\/a\u003e","brand":"M.S. Rau","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46522061914247,"sku":"32-3539","price":264500.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0083\/2471\/0466\/files\/32-3539_1_c8128983-0366-4a10-a524-e2afbc56ed29.png?v=1794614460","url":"https:\/\/rauantiques.com\/products\/rebecca-rau-pillar-of-light-necklace","provider":"M.S. Rau","version":"1.0","type":"link"}