Antique 18K and 10K Gold Ruby Pearl Serpent Necklace

A symbol that closes in on itself.
An antique serpent pendant set with ruby and pearl, suspended on a gold chain.
Time, held in a loop.

• 18K FIX coating over base
• 10K / 14K gold elements
• Natural ruby + pearl
• Approx. 16.5" chain
• Pendant approx. 1.25" x 1.25"
• French
• Victorian
• Marked “FIX”

The serpent has long symbolized eternity, renewal, and protection - most notably in the form of the ouroboros, a snake consuming its own tail to represent infinite cycles of life and time. In the Victorian era, this motif became especially popular, often associated with enduring love and devotion. Serpent jewelry was worn as both ornament and message, wrapping the body in symbolism that suggested continuity and guardianship.

Pearls, frequently placed within or held by the serpent’s form, carried their own meaning: purity, wisdom, and the quiet power of something formed over time. Together, the snake and pearl often echoed older mythologies of the “cosmic egg”—a symbol of creation and the universe itself protected or encircled by a living force. In jewelry of this period, the pairing can be read as both intimate and expansive: a protector guarding something precious, or time itself enclosing a point of origin.

The French “FIX” mark refers to a thick layer of high-karat gold bonded over a base metal, a technique developed in the 19th century to make richly gold jewelry more accessible without sacrificing appearance or durability. Pieces like this were designed to be lived in, worn daily, close to the body, allowing their symbolism to settle in over time.