| The Victorian era is historically defined as the period of | | | | for history was seen as more of the new urban |
| time Queen Victoria was in power from June 1837 to | | | | middle class began traveling throughout Europe and |
| January 1901. All jewelry produced during this era is | | | | soaking in history. The Etruscan style of jewelry |
| thus named Victorian jewelry. But just because it was | | | | exploded. Etruscan pieces borrow heavily from |
| created over this span of nearly 64 years doesn't | | | | Ancient Egyptian art as well as styles of the |
| mean it is all identical. The style of jewelry evolved as | | | | Greco-Roman, Baroque and Italian Renaissance time |
| Queen Victoria's tastes and influence evolved. The | | | | periods. You can see this in rings and bracelets with |
| longest living monarch in English history, her time | | | | details reminiscent of hieroglyphics along the band and |
| symbolically running her country involved a rise in the | | | | choice of yellow-ish rose gold is a perfect example of |
| appreciation for fashion and culture culminating with her | | | | this trend. |
| successor King Edward. | | | | As Queen Victoria aged, her public grew more |
| At 18, the newly appointed Queen of England was a | | | | sentimental. Mourning jewelry became a popular way |
| welcome breath of fresh air for England. And it | | | | to carry the memory of loved ones with you. |
| showed in the way the public instantly trended after | | | | Traditionally a piece of hair of the deceased was |
| anything she wore. Young Queen Victoria loved nature | | | | clipped and carried in a locket. Eventually this practice |
| and this can be seen in her choice of engagement ring: | | | | grew to include ladies weaving and braiding strands of |
| a snake with an emerald-set head. All her bridesmaids | | | | hair of their loved ones into entire necklaces that they |
| received a brooch with a turquoise-encrusted bird | | | | would then bring to a jeweler to be capped in gold. |
| resting on a large pearl. | | | | Throughout the late Victorian jewelry period you can |
| Victorian jewelry is then easily distinguished by is | | | | often see lockets, pendants and necklaces that in |
| extensive use of leaves, birds, animals and flowers. But | | | | someway include hair of people that passed away |
| that doesn't mean that just because it has leaves or | | | | during the Victorian era. |
| birds or animals it is necessarily Victorian. The | | | | Jewelry from the beginning, middle and late Victorian |
| Edwardian era, which started after Queen Victoria's | | | | era all shows the love of a public for their queen and |
| reign ended, kept much of the interest in nature but | | | | her era of progress. Queen Victoria's enduring |
| become much more decadent and elaborate in | | | | influence is evident in the constant love of movies and |
| jewelry designs. | | | | books set in this time period. |
| As the Victorian era continued, a rise in appreciation | | | | |