Damaskos Byzantine 18K Gold Oval Stud Earrings with Emerald

These oval stud earrings center on a pair of matched emeralds, each measuring 4x3mm, framed by hand-applied granulation arranged into an elaborate geometric border. The martillé finish on the gold body sets them apart from smoother Byzantine forms in the Damaskos range — the surface catches light unevenly, the way hammered metal does, giving the earring depth without added ornament.

The granulation is applied grain by grain — tiny spheres of 18K gold fused to the surface using a heat and alloy technique perfected in ancient Greece and still performed by hand in the Damaskos workshop. No mold produces this texture. The martillé finish is achieved through repeated hand-hammering across the gold face, creating the velvety quality visible in the finished piece. Both techniques require the goldsmith to work at a scale where precision is measured in fractions of a millimeter.

Damaskos is an Athens-based atelier with decades of practice in archaeological and Byzantine goldsmithing. Their work is rooted in documented historical methods — not stylistic approximation. These earrings pair naturally with other Damaskos granulation pieces and wear equally well daily or for occasion dressing. They are made to be owned for a long time.