Victorian Jewellery: How It Was Influenced By Historical Events

Of all the periods in history, the Victorian years yielded stunning jewellery that is as popular today as it was in the 1920s. This was indeed a golden era, with the Industrial Revolution in full swing and yearning for rich colour and geometric shapes in a thriving economy after WWI; every aspect of society was influenced – architecture, cars, fashion and, of course, jewellery.

Art Deco

There was a huge exhibition held in Paris that very much showcased Art Deco, with a collection of furniture, art and fashion accessories. If you are looking for the perfect engagement ring, check out the stunning antique jewellery available at the leading dealer near you. Art Deco jewellery is always in demand and most women have a few Art Deco pieces in their jewellery box.

Queen Victoria’s Reign

Victoria became the Queen of England in 1837 and ruled until her passing in January 1901; this era can be divided into 3 periods, Early, Middle and Late.

Early Victorian Period

When she became queen, her main adviser was the Prime Minister Lord Melbourne, with whom she was close. Political reform took place during this period with self-government emerging, while women were pushing hard to bring some equality in a rapidly changing society. This period ends when Queen Victoria married her German cousin Prince Albert in 1840. The jewellery design, which enthusiasts of beautiful antique engagement rings in Sydney as well as in other parts of the world often go for, was influenced greatly by the romanticism of the time, with flowers, butterflies and flowing curves; a period when creativity exploded and provided the foundations for Art Deco, which arrived in the 1920s.

Middle Victorian Period

This began with the death of Albert in 1861 when Victoria commenced a long period of mourning, staying out of public life for a period of 10 years. The American Civil War saw Great Britain trying to remain on the fence, which they managed to accomplish with some superb diplomatic moves by Charles Adams Sr, who was the US Ambassador to Great Britain. Neither Queen Victoria nor her cabinet had any desire to go to war with the US and the government officials did what they could to remain neutral, while she hoped that the northern states would win.

Late Victorian Period

The late period saw a lot of improvements in working conditions and the government set about being more involved with the management of the Commonwealth, which had been neglected, causing minor conflicts that demanded their attention. Jewellery became more glamorous with diamonds grabbing center stage and gold was replaced with platinum for a few years, while rubies, emeralds and sapphires gained popularity.

If you are looking for authentic Victorian jewellery, look no further than a leading antique dealer, where you can browse their stunning catalogue of antique jewellery and find the piece you are looking for. The turn of the 20th century saw the arrival of a generation of creative artists and with an open-minded society, jewellery followed fashion and the result was an explosion of colour.