Jewelry history education

Searching for information about the history of jewelry. We have put together this site about some of the more interesting facts on jewelry. We have scoured the internet to find this information. Look around and have fun..

Victorian jewelry

When Queen Victoria came to the throne in 1837 jewelry was romantic and nationalistic. It gave attention to the pressure of European folk art, which later influenced the Arts and Crafts Movement. Until mid century most western jewelry came from Europe, but soon jewelry began to be made in America and Australia.


Although jewelry had been made by multiple methods of production for centuries, mid Victorian mass production in Birmingham (England), Germany and Providence, Rhode Island meant that standards were lowered. Victorian women rebelled when they saw some of the machine made jewelry on offer, although much of what has survived is of good quality. Many wore no jewelry at all, or bought from the artist craftsman jewelers who emerged at much the same time. Some jewelers like Tiffany began to make fine jewelry of such high standard that they


In the early 20th century, the bracelets of Queen Victoria ignited the next big wave of jewelry wearing. It was at this stage that jewelry had a dramatic change of purpose. They went from being practical
tools to becoming decorative fashion jewelry. Small lockets, glass beads and family crests that hung on bracelets and necklaces were all the rage.