Damaskos Byzantine Oval Stud Earrings in 18K Gold

These oval stud earrings from Damaskos are built around two distinct surface treatments working in deliberate contrast: a martillé-finished body — velvety and light-absorbing — paired with a small hammered detail that catches and reflects light as it moves. A red gemstone anchors the center of each earring.

The martillé technique involves hand-striking the gold surface with a textured punch, creating a matte, granular finish that no machine process can replicate. Twisted wire borders the form — a technique inherited directly from ancient Greek jewelry — while granulation adds fine gold spheres that define the edges without overwhelming the composition. Each earring is worked entirely by hand at the Damaskos workshop in Athens. Gold purity is 18K. Weight is approximately 10 grams per pair. The earrings are also finished with black platinum on select surface areas, deepening the contrast between the matte body and the polished detail.

Damaskos has produced museum-quality gold jewelry in Athens for decades, working from original archaeological references to reconstruct techniques that have largely disappeared from commercial production. These earrings are sized and weighted for regular wear — substantial enough to read as a considered choice, compact enough to pair with a bracelet, necklace, or ring from the Damaskos collection. Also available in all gold without black platinum treatment.