Antique Imperial Tsarist Russia 84 Heavy Silver Watch Chain Necklace

We love the antique, super chunky, heavy, solid, lush and oh, so juicy chains ..... and this one is extra special, as it is Imperial Tsarist Russian !

These types of chains are usually English in origin and were originally used as gentlemen's chains for pocket watches. This is the very first time that we found a Russian version. It is gorgeous and very heavy, weighing 101.6 grams! We love that this chain is of uniform width, again, different from the usual, graduated ones. It is lovely and wide, at 10.2 mm .

All the Imperial Russian hallmarks, including "84", for Russian silver are stamped on several parts of this fabulous chain. There is a city mark for Kostroma, dating the chain to the 1880-1890 . Kostroma lies on the river Volga in western Russia. It was established as a city in 1152 and served as a fortress until the middle of 16th Century. In 1613 Mikhail Romanov was elected the Tsar of Russia in Kostroma, hence the city is referred to as the cradle of the Romanovs.

The dog clip, large bale and the T bar are not original to the chain. They are Victorian, dating from the same period and stamped with English hallmarks. We are not sure if the originals were missing or damaged, or perhaps replaced at some point to make the chain look like an English Albert chain. It is a mystery, we will never know! But, the English antique elements are lovely and they do match beautifully!

This gorgeous chain is now fashionably repurposed as a fantastic necklace worn by itself or with your pendants and charms. The chain is solid and very heavy, it looks and feels ever so smooth and truly luxurious. The colour of the antique Russian silver is wonderful, as is the condition of this stunning necklace. The wide links are lovely and dense. This chain has a wearable length of 15.5 inches. This measurement includes the dog clip clasp but not the T bar. The chain looks gorgeous on its own, while the mellow silver colour will look wonderful mixed with yellow or rose gold chains and pendants too ! This chain is also fantastically versatile - it can be worn with both antique as well as modern pendants, thanks to the edgy and contemporary design, the Victorian jewellers were so famous for. All you need to do is experiment with different looks and enjoy !

We love ....... this weighty, luxurious , Russian chain necklace for its super elegant look. You could even wear an antique pocket watch suspended from it around your neck , a nod to the original purpose of this beauty ! All this, from the cradle of the Romanovs !

* Please note that other jewellery featured in the photos is for inspiration only and not included in this listing.*

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