Historical Jewelry Periods
Vintage, Estate, and Costume Jewelry History
Origin of Costume Jewelry
The term "costume jewelry" didn't come about until sometime in the 1920's, although people in ancient times wore jewelry to adorn themselves like we do today with costume and fine jewelry. While varied and complex, basic periods in jewelry history are typically described in these jewelry and fashion movements.
Ancient Jewelry
People transformed natural shells, stones, sticks, animal teeth, and other materials into decorations to wear around their necks or in crude earrings. By 3,000 BC trade routes had been formed to link major continents of Europe, Africa and the Middle East, bringing with them various metals, stones, and manners of making jewelry. Ancient Iraq discovered you could use gold to make jewelry of incomparable beauty. Egyptian styled jewelry was taken by trade routes to all parts of the Mediterranean Ocean and techniques were refined at each step of the way. By 300 BC, much of jewelry design had become uniform and gold was used by everyone, along with other metals, rock crystals, pearls, and stones.
Medieval and Byzantine jewelry styles developed, with the Christian Crusades helping to pass along techniques and gems. Icons From the 14th to the 17th centuries (The European Renaissance), much Christian, classicism and Greek and Roman art, literature, and jewelry flourished. Spain and Europe became increasingly fashion and status conscious which fueled the need for more and more fabulous jewelry using semi-precious stones, better and more complex techniques and varying motifs. In the 17th century, multiple pearls were used as decorations for clothing and jewelry, and imitation pearls were born in Paris, France.
Georgian Period - Georgian Jewelry
In the late 1700's imitation or fake jewelry techniques spread to England. Steel was also used. Jeweled buttons, and uncut garnets became fashionable. The Georgian period of British history was from about 1714 to 1830 during the reigns of the four English kings named George. Jewelry from this period is very rare. Many styles of jewelry were produced, all were handmade and is signified by engraved gemstones and intaglios and cabochons with nature-inspired designs like leaves and birds.
Victorian Period - Victorian Jewelry, Mourning Jewelry
In the 18th century, as the need in Europe grew, less expensive, imitation stones were developed in Bohemia (Czechoslovakia). Technologies were increased, machine cutting of stones discovered and the whole process became affordable to many more people. By the time Victoria became queen of England (1837-1901) the mass production of jewelry made it even more common in Europe and America. In 1854, gold content was standardized and required to be stamped in hallmarks. Diamonds were discovered in 1867 in Africa and became popular and frequently set in white metal to enhance their beauty. Wrist watches were being produced. Natural design themes like trees and flowers were used with elaborate engravings. Amethysts, seed pearls, human hair, cameos, jet and coral were popular, as was Egyptian styles due to the archaeological expeditions in Egypt and Italy. Queen Victoria's husband Prince Albert died, and she declared the country in mourning, and somber, heavy jewelry was worn to express grief. Mourning jewelry became common. Sentimental jewelry was popular, like lockets, inscriptions, and symbols of love. By the time the Queen died, European women were not happy with some machine made jewelry and rebelled against industrialization. A move towards more artistic, free-form and creative jewelry was born.
Arts and Crafts Movement - Arts and Crafts Jewelry
From about 1894-1923, due to the Industrial Revolution, many jewelry designers rebelled against the machinery and mass production of items and returned instead of handmade craftsmanship. Simple patterns with colorful uncut stones were popular.
Art Nouveau Period - Art Nouveau Jewelry
A short-lived period in history (about 1890-1910), the Art Nouveau movement was radically different from Victorian somberness and mass production. Restrictions were taken away and creative and romantic energies produced jewelry that mimicked life: animals, plants, flowers, realistic and fantasy, and different techniques of enameling was brought to the fore. Femininity was celebrated, along with soft curves, opals, moonstones, citrines and carved glass. Pastel colors, flowing curves and stylized designs are indicative of this period. Swarovski created a new glass cutting machine in 1891 which made rhinestones dazzling and cheap and changed the jewelry business forever. In 1907 Bakelite, considered the first plastic, was invented.
The Edwardian Period - Edwardian Jewelry, Romantic Jewelry
From 1901 to 1910, King Edward VII succeeded to the throne of England. Jewelry was very filigree or lace-like and elaborate and diamonds and platinum were common in this period. Big jewelry firms like Tiffany were improving the settings and cuts of diamond jewelry, and diamonds were made to look fine and delicate. Platinum is used extensively and open work designs with scalloped edges were popular.
Art Deco Movement - Art Deco Jewelry, Geometric Jewelry
The prosperity and wealth of prior periods was brought to an end by the start of World War I. Mostly an American phenomenon, Art Deco derived it's name from the Exposition of Decorative Arts and Modern Manufactures in Paris in 1925. Design had become centered around geometry and symmetry in everything from jewelry to sky scrapers. Bold colors and design were the craze. Gemstones were cut in shapes (pears, emeralds, marquise) seldom seen before, and inexpensive stones were mixed with expensive ones. Emeralds, sapphires, and rubies were gems of choice. Bakelite, it was being discovered as a great medium for making jewelry. Bangle bracelets and cocktail rings were in; cameos and lockets were out of fashion. The Art Deco movement ended with the coming of the Great Depression and World War II and is generally attributed to the years 1920 to 1935. Flapper length necklaces were popular. In 1931 Lucite was invented.
The Retro Movement - Retro Jewelry
From about 1935 to the 1950's American jewelry came into the limelight. Fashion houses in Paris closed and America became the focus for ready-to-wear garments and costume jewelry flourished. Hollywood movie stars influenced jewelry and flamboyant, oversized pieces were in vogue. Colorful, elaborate pieces were worn including charm bracelets and cocktail rings. Jewelry was more whimsical and gold was regaining popularity. During World War II, brass was outlawed for use in jewelry, as it was needed to make bullets. Lucite and Bakelite were used in a lot of jewelry. Czech and Austrian rhinestones and much jewelry from France and Europe was not imported to the U.S. At the end of the war, bigger and bolder was the fashion craze, with oversized bracelets, watches, and rings, and synthetic rubies and other gemstones making a comeback. Jewelry made completely of rhinestones was made. Rhinestone parures were very popular. In the 1990's platinum came back in fashion.
Modern Period - Mod Jewelry
In 1953 the Aurora Borealis process was developed. It allowed a fabulous rainbow of colors to be reflected off rhinestones and has been a huge hit ever since. The hippie movement in the 1960's brought newfound interest in natural materials for jewelry, and handmade, natural jewelry made a comeback. From the 1960's through the end of the millennium, gold jewelry was mostly made of yellow gold. The 60's and 70's saw an influx of atomic styles, plastics, Lucite, mod jewelry, bangles, and boisterous, flamboyant, design-inspired costume and jewelry. Slave bracelets, bright bold flowers, and peace symbols. The 1970s saw a lot of patriotic colors due to the bicentennial of the U.S. and the rhinestone came back in fashion, and became extremely popular in the disco generation of the 1980s.