6 MM NATURAL GARNET CABOCHONS, WITH CIRCA 1900’S FRENCH PASTE FLEUR-DE-LIS ROW CENTER. IN THE ARISTOCRATIC CLASSES OF 17 TH. CENTURY EUROPE, PARTICULARLY IN THE TREND SETTING ROCOCO STYLES OF PARISIANS, FINE JEWELRY MADE OF PRECIOUS GEMSTONES SUCH AS DIAMONDS AND EMERALDS WERE COVETED. THESE STONES WERE TREASURED FOR THEIR BEAUTYAND RARITY, WHICH PROMPTED JEWEERSTO SEEK OUT AN EQUALLY BEAUTIFUL, BUT LESS EXPENSIVE ALTERNATIVE MATERIAL FOR THEIR JEWELRY. IN 1724, FRENCH JEWELER, GEORGES FREDERIC STRAUSS DEVELOPED PASTE, A KIND OF LEADED GLASS THAT HE CUT AND POLISHED UNTIL IT APPEARED TO SHIMMER LIKE A DIAMOND IN THE LIGHT. THESE DIAMANTE OR STRASS BECAME A HIT WITH THE GLAMOUROUS PARISIAN HIGH SOCIETY. JEWELRY CRAFTED WITH THESE LOVELY OLD PASTES IS HIGHLY PRIZED BY TODAY’S JEWELRY COLLECTORS.