gold tubogas necklace

An 18 carat yellow gold tubogas necklace with a box lock and a safety eight clasp, master mark: Weingrill, circa 1960.

The tubogas, or gas pipe, was popularised in the 1930s due to the scarcity of resources during World War II. Gas-pipe jewellery was a perfect technique, requiring no gemstones but still creating chunky and fun jewels made without any soldering by wrapping a pair of gold strips with raised edges tightly together so that they interlock. The gold is wrapped around a wood or copper core which is later dissolved with acid, thus forming a continuous, flexible and hollow tube.
This technique was revived in the 1970s by Bulgari and Weingrill.

weight: 71.60 grams
length: 41 cm
width: 1 cm