Periods of Estate and Vintage Jewellery:
Jewellery which is termed “vintage” includes many decades or eras. Each era has many different designs.
Georgian Jewellery (1714-1837)
The Georgian period covered the reigns of five English kings, four named George and one named William. The reigns of George I, II, III, IV, and William IV lasted from 1714 to 1837. Georgian refers to the English art and culture produced during this era. In terms of jewellery design, although the name of the period references England, historical events in France, Germany, and Italy also influenced Georgian jewellery motifs and designs. Georgian era jewellery is handmade, require highly labour-intensive processes and is very rare. The artisans had to hand hammer gold ingots and other metals into thin sheets before even starting to fabricate pieces..
Victorian Era (1837 – 1901)
The Victorian Era began and ended with Queen Victoria’s reign. She ascended to the throne of the United Kingdom in 1837 and died in 1901. Those sixty-four years witnessed enormous changes in industry, society, fashion, and, of course, jewellery. For example, it started with horse-drawn carriages and candlelight and ended with automobiles and electricity. The term “Victorian” refers broadly to the British art and culture produced during this time. Historians often divide the reign of Britain’s longest reigning monarch into three parts: the Early Victorian or Romantic, the Middle Victorian or Grand, and the Late Victorian or Aesthetic periods. In terms of jewellery, each sub-period had different motifs, gems, metals, and fabrication techniques that rose and fell in popularity.
Early Victorian Jewellery (1837-1855)
The beginning of the Victorian era is also known as the Romantic Period reflecting the marital bliss and confidant tranquility of the young stylish Queen and the nation. The styles of the Georgian period were still dominate during her early years, as the popularity of ferronieres, headpieces of chain or ribbon with a centre jewel worn on the forehead, spanned the bridge between both periods. Jewellery was worn in abundance, often piled on in multiples. Naturalistic floral motifs were popular as well as hearts, bows, and birds, produced in intricately engraved gold, with delicate enamel work, accented with seed pearls, turquoise beads, and pink coral. Early Victorian jewellery features nature-inspired designs. Lockets and brooches were popular everyday jewellery, gemstones and diamonds were worn during the evening.
Mid-Victorian Jewellery (1856-1880)
Because the Mid-Victorian era corresponded with the death of Queen Victoria’s husband and the start of the American Civil War. Both incidents brought an abrupt halt to the whimsical romance of the Early Victorian Period and the emergence of more somber designs known as mourning jewellery. So began the Grand Period (1861-1885) of the Victorian Era. The pieces featured heavy looking, dark stones. Jet, onyx, amethyst, and garnets are frequently found in jewellery from this period and the designs became very creative.
Late Victorian Jewellery (1885-1900)
Queen Victoria mourned her husband until her death in 1901. This set the tone for Grand Period jewellery manufacturing. However, her subjects buckled under the heavy gloom. By 1885, they eventually turned to the lighter jewellery and clothing styles of the Late Victorian Aesthetic Period. During this period, jewellers used diamonds and bright feminine gemstones such as sapphires, peridot and spinel. Star and crescent designs as well as elaborate hat pins were also popular.
Arts and Crafts Jewellery (1894-1923)
In a distinctive departure from the industrial revolution in Europe, the guild revival movement, known as Arts & Crafts, breathed new life into the business of designing and making jewellery. Suddenly, out from under the drab and lackluster tradition of mourning jewelry, a riot of enameled color, glimmering cabochons (i.e. a gemstone shaped and polished as opposed to faceted) and sinuous design gripped the imaginations of a particularly ambitious group of artistic minded individuals. A return to the past (and to the Far East) for inspiration and technique pushed artisans and designers headlong into a future that would forever alter our sense of pleasing design and true beauty and a return to making intricate jewellery designs with hand-made craftmanship. It is common for this era of jewellery to be simple in pattern, made of colourful uncut stones.
Art Nouveau Jewellery (1895-1915)
Art Nouveau was aimed at modernizing design, seeking to escape the eclectic historical styles that had previously been popular. Artists drew inspiration from both organic and geometric forms, evolving elegant designs that united flowing, natural forms. The emphasis on linear contours took precedence over colour, which was usually represented with hues such as muted greens, browns, yellows, and blues. The movement was committed to abolishing the traditional hierarchy of the arts, which viewed the so-called liberal arts, such as painting and sculpture, as superior to craft-based decorative arts. Designed by Rene Jules Lalique in France and other jewellers in America, Art Nouveau jewellery features nature designs such as flowers and butterflies.
Edwardian Jewellery (1901-1915)
The Edwardian era, like the Georgian and Victorian eras before it, derives its name from the reign of an English King, Edward VII (1901-1910), the son of Queen Victoria. This is the final jewellery period defined by a British monarch. Edward was the lighthearted, luxury loving antithesis of his mother. Even while he was still the Prince of Wales, Edward was infamous for being a playboy and a gambler. After his coronation he continued to surround himself with fast moving, nouveau riche plutocrats, spending the majority of his time engaged in various social endeavours. Jewellery was an important part of the lifestyle cultivated by this extremely wealthy upper class. To the rest of Europe this period was characterized as La Belle Époque. Expensive gemstones like diamonds, emeralds and rubies in elaborate designs were the fashion.
Art Deco Jewellery (1915-1935)
Art Deco is a style that emerged in 1925, a result of exhibits at the World’s Fair held in Paris, France. The term Art Deco is a shortened form of the event’s name: Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes (International Exposition of Modern Industrial and Decorative Arts). Designers refer to the Art Deco era as the time between the two world wars.Most jewellery made in this era was fashioned in either white gold or platinum. White gold made its first introduction to the public during the Art Deco era around 1915 when it was invented to combat rising platinum costs and a rising demand was for a light coloured metal. Yellow gold was very much out of style. Influenced by African, Egyptian and Japanese themes, Art Deco is famous for its geometric designs, sharp lines, and bright colours. Necklaces were long and many bracelets were worn at the same time. Highly polished metals were used for accessories, like handbags.
Retro Jewellery (1945-1960)
Inspired by Hollywood, Retro Jewellery is colourful, exaggerated and bold. Large cocktail rings, bracelets, watches, necklaces, and charm bracelets all had elaborate designs. If it twinkles, jangles and sparkles, it’s quite likely that it is a retro piece. Bangles, thick chain bracelets, cocktail rings, ostentatious watches and gaudy charms are a classic example of this era. Although the jewellery of this period were often mass produced and cheaply made, there are some truly spectacular pieces from this era that are made on a grand scale of quality, design and desirability.