Damaskos Byzantine 18K Gold Drop Earrings with Garnet – Rectangular

These Byzantine drop earrings are structured in three tiers. A small rosette — known in Greek as a rodakas — anchors the top. Below it, a rectangular garnet is set within a frame of granulation and twisted rope wire. A gold button, called a botonio, hangs from the base. The composition is drawn directly from Byzantine goldsmithing conventions, where layered ornament and suspended elements were used to maximize movement and light.

The earrings are made entirely by hand in the Damaskos atelier in Athens. Granulation — the technique of fusing tiny spheres of gold to a surface without visible solder — requires sustained precision and is one of the most demanding skills in classical goldsmithing. The twisted rope wire framing is formed by hand-twisting gold wire to a consistent tension, a method used in ancient Greek jewelry long before the Byzantine period. Each earring weighs 5g, for a combined total of 10g in 18K gold. The stones are rectangular-cut garnets, deep red in tone, chosen for their ability to refract light across the facets as the earring moves.

Damaskos has worked in Athens for decades, producing pieces that are studied reconstructions of ancient techniques rather than stylistic references. These earrings wear well as a formal piece — the drop length and garnet color read against both black and neutral tones — but they are built to last as an heirloom. The craftsmanship is the investment.