Vintage (1980s ?) 18K Gold Multi-gemstone White Jadeite Circle Pendant with Dragon/Phoenix Motif This vintage Chinese jade circle pendant with an 18K yellow gold openwork bezel and bail features a translucent white jadeite jade ring encircling an assortment of prong-set gemstones—including three round melee rubies, an oval cabochon opal, and others—accenting the central dragon/phoenix motif which fills up most of the space inside the ring. The copious use of 18K gold for the ornate openwork showcased in this kind of multi-gemstone jadeite circle pendant, which is encountered relatively infrequently in secondhand marketplaces such as eBay in the US where 14K is the norm, suggests it may originally have been crafted and sold in China where, traditionally, there’s considerable demand for jewelry made of gold of high purity (i.e., 24K optimally, with 18K being at the low end, though the trend among Chinese Millennials has been away from 24K toward 18K gold over the past half decade, interestingly). This hypothesis is also consistent with the jewelry buying habits of the American collector to whom this piece previously belonged and who traveled extensively throughout Asia in the 1970s and 1980s, acquiring pieces representative of local craftsmanship. This piece may have originally been designed as a wedding present and would certainly make a lovely bridal or anniversary gift. The dragon/phoenix duo in Chinese iconography traditionally represents marital bliss, auspiciousness, and the yin & yang of harmonious relationships, hence why these symbols are often featured in wedding decorations. The pendant measures 35mm (1½ in.) in diameter (outer) x 7mm (¼ in) thick and is in excellent estate condition, appearing to have barely been worn. Pendant total weight: 13 grams. Hallmark (stamped on bail): “18K | 750”