Necklace, 14th century, gold, baroque pearls, sapphires, topazes, 49.5 cm. MNMC 6037, Museu Nacional Machado de Castro.

This rare gold necklace, enriched by the contrasting colours of the precious stones, belonged to the bequest of the Queen, Saint Isabel. It consists of eight multi-lobed plates, linked by two parallel chains and accented by nine baroque pearls in groups of three. The central gems (three sapphires, one glass, one glass doublet and two topazes) are surrounded by a collar, encircled on the base with a typical medieval setting of small beads. The remaining stones are set in the same manner.