subject: Jewellery Design In The Victorian Era [print this page] Jewellery Design In The Victorian Era Jewellery Design In The Victorian Era
One of the most distinctive styles of jewellery from Britain's past is Victorian jewellery - a range of designs that flourished during the reign of Queen Victoria, from 1837 until 1900 (although many jewellery scholars consider the end of the Victorian era of jewellery to have been much earlier, around 1875 or 1890). Victorian jewellery typically falls into three different and distinct time periods.
Early Victorian jewellery, made between 1837 and 1855, typically feature designs that have been inspired by nature. This theme could be seen in an elaborately worked necklace of delicate gold and ruby flowers, or diamond earrings made to look like daisies. Earrings like these would often feature centre diamonds with a weight of more than a carat each with petals that were encrusted with smaller mine-cut diamonds set in silver coated yellow gold. Due to their weight, these earrings will have gold clips rather than piercings.
When Queen Victoria died, a new era of fashion began. Called the Grand or Mid-Victorian era, this period is generally considered to have lasted from 1856 until 1880. Due to the death of the Queen, jewellery had much darker colours than those pieces created during the Early Victorian era. Many pieces had dark red garnets, purple amethysts, and even black jet or onyx. Later in the period additional colours made their way back into favour. Victorian jewellery from this time period included more creative designs and motifs, such as bracelets inspired by the Far East. Featuring shells, turquoise and even tassels, these are striking pieces of jewellery design.
The Late Victorian period continued from 1880 until 1900. Also called the Aesthetic period, Victorian jewellery began to feature celestial motifs, such as stars and crescent moons, and jewellers embraced a full range of rainbow coloured gems, like sapphires and peridots. Hatpins and hair combs adorned with crescent moons and other decorations became popular as well as the traditional jewellery pieces like necklaces, bracelets and earrings. In addition to crescent moons, the starburst diamond pendant or pin also became very popular. Often it is seen as a stylized shape that has been encrusted with a number of diamonds set in yellow gold or platinum.
Seen as a turning point in terms of industrialisation and the rise of capitalism, the Victorian era was also a key period in terms of art and design, with Victorian jewellery still being popular with fashionistas today.
