Vintage jewelry is jewelry that dates from 1950 or before. Estate jewelry includes vintage jewelry and contemporary jewelry. To add to your jewelry wardrobe, you might want to consider a little something from the Edwardian Period or the Victorian Period.
One way you can find vintage jewelry is to look for an estate jewelry store in your area. Look on the internet for a estate jewelry store near you. If you are lucky, you will find an estate jewelry store that sells from their website as well as in person. You are sure to find something you are looking for there.
The Edwardian period dated from 1901-1914. Platinum was the metal that was used primarily. Vintage diamonds from that time period were either Old Mine cut or European cut diamonds. These diamonds had amazing brilliance and fire and were almost always inclusion free to the unaided eye.
The designs you would find from the Edwardian period would be little pieces of art. Bows, honeycomb patterns, flower garland and scalloped edges were the major patterns created for vintage engagement rings and platinum jewelry of all kinds. Colored gemstones such as all colors of sapphire, emerald and ruby were used to accent the jewelry design. Long strands of pearls were popular then as they are today.
The Victorian Period dated from 1837-1901. You will find Queen Victoria’s personal jewelry preferences in everything from that period of time. She loved floral designs, fine scroll work and animal themes. Much of her jewelry interest, from the mid-Victorian Era, was in heavy yellow gold and colored gemstones as well. Later on, jewelry became more modest. A woman’s jewelry wardrobe might include a strand of pearls, a gold necklace and a carved or hand painted brooch with seed pearls.
