Damaskos Byzantine 18K Gold Teardrop Earrings with Rubies

These teardrop drop earrings are built around the martillé finish — a hand-hammering technique that gives the gold a textured, light-diffusing surface unlike the smooth planes of cast work. The form is restrained: a classic teardrop silhouette, accented with rope-wire detailing and granulation, then set with a single pear-shaped ruby on each earring.

Crafted in 18K gold and weighing 10 grams, each earring is worked by hand in the Damaskos atelier. The martillé finish is achieved by striking the gold repeatedly with a small hammer — building texture across the surface one mark at a time. Granulation, the ancient technique of fusing tiny gold spheres without solder, and twisted rope-wire are applied as fine ornamental borders, referencing the decorative vocabulary of Byzantine court jewelry. The rubies measure 4x3mm each, cut in a pear shape that echoes the earring’s overall silhouette.

Damaskos is one of Athens’ few remaining ateliers practicing these goldsmithing methods at this level of precision. Each piece is made to order by a small team of artisans trained in the classical Greek tradition. The earrings wear equally well as a daily piece or for formal occasions — the scale is modest enough for everyday use, the craft substantial enough to pass down.