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Victorian
Jewelry
Victorian
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Victorian
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Victorian
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Victorian
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Victorian
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Victorian
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Victorian
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victorian jewelry background
Early
gold Victorian pieces were all 18 to 22 karat, though following the Stamp
Act of 1854, gold content was standardized at 9, 12, or 15 karats, and
required to be hallmarked and stamped as such. Non-gold metals used in
costume jewelry were either pinchbeck (83 parts copper and 17 parts zinc),
mercury gilt, or electric gilt. Other popular metals of the time included
silver, silver backed by gold and rolled gold plate. Whenever diamonds
were to be set, they were invariably set in white metal so as to enhance
their intrinsic beauty.
Predominant
design themes employed in Victorian jewelry borrowed from natural origins,
i.e., flowers, trees, and birds. Early Victorian jewelry incorporated lights,
delicate designs with elaborate engraving. These eventually evolved into
the heavier, more conservative designs the Victorian period is more noted
for. Two popular design types that originated in the Victorian period were
Cannatille and Repousse. Cannatille jewelry utilized twisted strands of
gold wire wound into elaborate designs. Repousse, on the other hand, was
identifiable for its solid forms with raised and fluted edges that gave
the piece its characteristic massive quality.
Jet,
coral, human hair, and seed pearls were all popular organic materials used
in Victorian pieces. Mourning jewelry, sometimes called memorial jewelry
had been popular for many decades prior to Victoria's ascension to the
throne. However, upon the death of Prince Albert, the entire British empire
was thrown into 40 years of enforced gloom. The public would have none
of it and mourning jewelry fell quickly out of favor.
The
late Victorian era was greatly influenced by the archeological expeditions
in Egypt, Italy and Greece, which brought to light for the first time in
the West, the vast array of ancient jewelry. Designers were quick to capitalize
on the public's imagination by launching a wave of reproductions. The works
of such designers such as Castellani and Giulano were especially noteworthy,
and they continue to be much sought after today.
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