French Victorian Art Nouveau 18K Gold & Diamond Griffin Pendant

A heavy French 18K gold and diamond pendant depicting a mythological griffin. The creature has the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle. His open jaws clasp an old mine cut diamond. The diamond has bright (G-ish) color and is VVS2 clarity. The griffin is depicted against a background of swirling foliage. The back is engraved to match the texture of the front. The griffin has two loops on the backs of the wingtips so it can be worn as a pendant. It originally also had a removable pin stem which is no longer present. The pendant is stamped with French 18K guarantee marks and a partial goldsmith’s mark. Origin: France, ca. 1890 Condition: excellent, sharp detail, removable brooch mechanism absent Dimensions: 1-5/8” x 1-3/8”Weight: 11.6 grams Approximate Diamond Weight: .05 carat