15ct Gold Suffragette Bangle

An unusual 15ct gold bangle that was made circa 1910. It has been set with cabochon cut emeralds (Green colour meaning “give”), Natural split Pearls ( White colour meaning “women”), and cabochon Amethysts (Violet colour meaning “votes”). This bangle would have been worn by sympathisers of the Suffrage movement as a sign to other women of their feelings. It is a very pretty design composed of wavy lines of pearls punctuated on either side by emeralds and amethysts.
Mrs Pethick-Lawrence, editor of the weekly newspaper Votes for Women, explained the symbolism of the colours in spring 1908: “Purple as everyone knows is the royal colour. It stands for the royal blood that flows in the veins of every suffragette, the instinct of freedom and dignity; white stands for purity in private and public life; green is the colour of hope and the emblem of spring.” In other words, she said, the colours stood for freedom and dignity, purity and hope.