Jewelry Eras:
Georgian:	1714 -1836
Victorian:	1837 - 1900
Edwardian:	1901 - 1910
Art Nouveau:	1880 - 1914
Arts & Crafts:	1890 - 1914
Art Deco:	1920 - 1939
Retro:	1935 - 1950

INTRODUCTION Jewelry (or jewellery, in the European spelling) has been worn by the earliest civilizations. Even those ancient bodies found frozen or entombed, all are found with various types of jewelry - amulets, bracelets, earrings, etc. Jewelry has been used as symbols of emotions represented by specific stones or jewelry designs. Tears could be represented by tiny seed pearls, eternal love by a serpent or lizard. Certain gems have been thought to have healing or magical properties. (Examples are the various birthstones.) People through the ages have had their lucky charms - to bring wealth, happiness, love, or just to ward off evil spirits or bad luck. If you decide to collect vintage and antique jewelry, you probably enjoy other types of antiques, as well. The advantage with jewelry is that you can wear your antiques and share your interest and knowledge with others. In older pieces, the craftsmen's attention to detail and workmanship is rarely found in modern designs. I've known people who purchased only the most basic elements of clothing, preferring to spend their time and money searching out great pieces of antique jewelry. Clothing was to provide a backdrop for their jewelry, well... okay... and to prevent arrest for indecency. Understanding jewelry terminology and time frames can help a collector to determine the value and age of a piece. Here are some terms to consider: Estate jewelry means "pre-owned." It may or may not be old. Collectible jewelry usually means a costume piece that is no longer in production. Period jewelry is a term that broadly covers jewelry from a specific chronological era. Circa dating jewelry gives an approximate date covering a 20-year span. If something is "circa 1860" that tells you that it was made within a time period of 1850 to 1870. On the following pages, I've written what I hope is helpful information on jewelry from the various eras. However, it's just the tip of the iceberg - there's so much more to learn and tons of books out there that make fascinating reading. You can find my suggestions for helpful books on the page Books. Most of the jewelry shown on these "History" pages are items from J'antiques - either currently offered for sale or previously sold. Any exceptions are noted with their sources. There's no problem with anyone copying these pages, but please credit "J'antiques & Collectibles". Georgian Art Deco Era Early Victorian Retro Mid-Victorian Animal & Insects Late Victorian Cameos Edwardian Enamel Art Nouveau Mourning & Hair Jewelry Arts & Crafts Revival Jewelry ---I'd welcome your comments, suggestions, and any knowledge you'd care to share, as well. Is there a subject you'd like to have added to these pages? Please feel free to email me at: jthomas@jantiques.com