Antique jewelry: everything you need to know

Antique jewelry always arouses interest because it has a great story behind it. Who knows if those earrings stored in the back of the closet are, in fact, Elizabethan earrings.

 

Antique jewelry and its provenance

 

 

Georgian Jewelry

Georgian jewelry corresponds to the reigns between 1714 and 1830 of the four English kings named George. Styles moved from Rococo to Gothic Revival to Neoclassical and all Georgian jewelry was handmade. It was also a period of discovery and innovation. They were mostly made of high-carat silver and gold, plus precious stones such as diamonds and topaz. To this day, antique gold pieces from the Georgian era are considered an heirloom as they are very difficult to find.

 

Victorian Jewelry

The Victorian era is divided into three stages: the romantic, the great era and the aesthetic. Here, there are jewels and precious stones much more common than the Georgian ones and materials such as gold or silver are still used. The most common stones are sapphire, garnet, diamond and turquoise. The jewelry was based on Queen Victoria's taste and reflected the beauty and art of jewelry through sensuality, virtue, piety and sentimentality.

 

3. Elizabethan Jewelry

Nowadays, Elizabethan antique jewelry is highly valued and kept in very good condition despite being many years old. They were popular during the reign of Elizabeth I of England, who ruled for 40 years and left a great legacy. We can find Elizabethan rings with diamonds, Elizabethan earrings or a variety of Elizabethan brooches. If you like classic jewelry, you will fall in love with vintage Elizabethan earrings!

 

Art Nouveau Jewelry

This type of jewelry corresponds to the period between 1895 and the outbreak of the First World War. They stand out for the characteristics of floral style, insects and inspirations in the figure of women and nature. Semi-precious gems are one of the most characteristic materials and the combs, necklaces and brooches stand out.

 

Art Deco Jewelry

The 20's and 30's are the ones that belong to this type of jewelry. They are mainly inspired by Ancient Egypt and cubism, therefore they are very colorful and have geometric figures. They have a very captivating and elegant style, highlighting the rings, earrings and brooches.

In the Art Deco style, yellow gold lost prominence and gave way to white metals, mainly platinum, but also white gold and silver. Among the stones we highlight rubies, sapphires, emeralds, quartz crystal, coral, ivory and mother of pearl. Diamonds were the most prominent gemstone, especially in engagement rings.

 

6. 19th century jewelry

The jewelry of the nineteenth century is divided between elegant, everyday and mourning. The first was for social events, made with fine materials and different gems. The everyday was simpler and less valuable. Finally, the mourning ones were black and made of materials such as jet.

This century is a time of great discoveries of ancient civilizations and an upheaval of style throughout Europe. Jewelry from other past cultures such as Egyptian, Etruscan and Roman are imitated, but with the fact that new technologies are applied to jewelry. Techniques such as granulation and contemporary fashion jewelry such as forehead bands or hip belts are recovered. Bracelets, pendants and earrings were the most prominent jewelry.

 

7. 50's Jewelry

The 1950s was a charming and "flirtatious" era in the way people dressed, so fashion also affected jewelry. During this decade, pearl jewelry became an iconic trend representing elegance. The same can be said for clip and chain earrings. Finally, a famous attribute of 1950s jewelry is brooches made of various materials and colored semi-precious stones. They used to be worn on the lapel of the jacket, but now they can be worn on the corner of blouses and dresses, or on handbags, handkerchiefs or jeans.

 

Vintage Jewelry

In jewelry, the terms vintage and antique do not mean the same thing. Vintage is anything that is several years old but still belongs to the modern era. The style of vintage jewelry is defined as ornate pieces, with classic but bold designs. They have several lines of diamonds or other gems, which are mixed to form a jewel of great value.

Sometimes, they are difficult to wear because of their ornamentation and classic style that may not fit the current user profiles. Therefore, they are sometimes collected rather than worn, and then sold as unique pieces or by dividing them and selling their materials.

 

Do you have any antique jewelry you'd like to know a little more about?