Antique Jewellery

Love Antique Jewellery and Victorian Jewellery? Antique Brooches a speciality. There is lots here to take a look at. Plenty of Antique Georgian and Victorian brooches, lockets and antique rings. Further down the page is lots of vintage jewellery from throughout the 20th century. More antique jewellery is added here every week.

Antique Brooches	Cameos	Antique Rings
Antique Earrings	Antique Necklaces Lockets	Stick Pins Lapel Pins
Alberts Albertinas	Cufflinks

Victorian silver bangle bracelet
£65.00

About Antique Jewellery

Antique Jewellery is quite different from vintage jewellery, not only is it older but its style is very different as it was made to suit the fashions of the time, from the materials available at the time and to be worn on the fabrics available at the time. Due to these differences AntiquesAvenue offers you a good selection of antique jewellery seperate from vintage jewellery . Here is a bit about Antique Jewelelry from the Georgian era through to 1920.

Georgian Jewellery

( 1714 -1830): In the Georgian era most things including Jewellery were hand made by craftsmen. The real age of industrial production did not start until the late 1700's and so at the most is will contain an element of mass production being mostly made by hand. Gold of this era is 18 or 22 carat and stones are most likely set into silver and have a closed back. Popular items were brooches, pearl necklaces, earrings and bracelets. Often these items would be ties or suspended onribbon rather than chains as we do today. Large diamond deposits were discovered during the Georigian ear and thechnology made it possible to cut these to give them sparkle for the first time.

Victorian Jewellery

(1830-1901): Industrialisation enables the mass production of larger and cheaper pieces adn for the first time costume jewellery made an appearance. Gold became more available with its discovery in America and Australia. In 1854 9, 12 and 15 carat gold started to be used making cheaper gold jewllery a fashion. More sources of coloured gemstones were discoveres and the backs were left open in jewellery which gave added brilliance to the stones. Different trends tended to follow the fashion of Queen Victorian herself : mourning jewllery following the death of Price Albert and Scottish pebble jewellery during her pashion for all things from Scotland. At the end of the Victorian era we see the start of the arts movements each with their own stylish influence on Jewellery: Arts and Crafts from about 1890 to 1914 and Art Nouveau from circa 1895 to 1915. Popular symbold and motifs were Sporting and Good Luck symbols

Edwardian Jewellery

(1901 to 1910) and throught to 1920: The Edwardian era actually lasted until 1910 but the styles in Jewellery largely remained the same up until circa 1920. The Edwardian style in Jewellery embraced precious metals, Gold ( and rolled gold) with platinum being used for precious stone mountings. Gemstones were popular including Pearls, diamonds, emeralds, rubies, garnets, aquamarines, opals and lovely moonstones. Popular motifs included flowers, birds, hearts and stars.