~  Micromosaic Jewelry: What It Is, and What It Isn't  ~

This is a true micromosaic pin. The tiles are so small, they are barely visible without magnification. The Italian masters were known to create a scene using 1,400 tesserae per square inch:

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This (below) is not a micromosaic. Can you see the difference in the size of the tiles (called "tesserae")? These are much larger. The workmanship is much cruder. These became more common as the Industrial Age dawned and intensive hand labor had become much more expensive. This beautiful brooch is referred to as mosaic, NOT micromosaic:

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Here is another example of a micromosaic. As Victorians went on The Grand Tour of Europe, these pins depicting Roman scenes were wildly popular. This was something like a postcard for them!

When they got home, they could show everyone where they had visited:

And here is a photo of the woman who owned this pin. She is wearing it at the center of her collar. Funny how we say we own things, but really we are just temporary custodians as these lovely jewels pass down through generations. I wonder who will "own" it next:

More examples of micromosaic jewelry:

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