Tag: Diamond

Miniature Eye Tie Pin

Tiepin with a miniature of a lady's eye, 1900-10

Reverence for history and a passion to relive it are facets to the fascination of a collector. Because we love history and its unusual elements in jewels, keeping styles alive after they have passed from fashion is not something unique to modern collecting The early 20th century had a Romantic revival that brought back many… Continue reading Miniature Eye Tie Pin

A French Black Enamel Brooch, c.1860

Openwork gold, enamelled in black set with diamonds and pearls, with pearls and diamond pendants

Global inspiration for jewellery design reflected colonisation and increased global transit that could share cultural art and values. The oriental route had opened up access to materials used in jewellery, dropping values and offering a fresh take on jewellery styles. Prince Albert, Queen Victoria’s consort, was influential in establishing the Great Exhibition of 1851, an event that… Continue reading A French Black Enamel Brooch, c.1860

1760-1800, Neoclassicism in Mourning Jewels

Engraved gold frame, ivory painted in watercolour with a miniature of a woman handing a heart pierced by an arrow to a figure of Death, surmounted by an inscription I ALONE CAN HEAL The back of plaited hair crossed by the name Fergusson on paper.

Facing the ideals of the Enlightenment and a new appreciation for classical history, the period between 1760 and 1800 created the underpinnings of identity in mourning and sentimentality that exist today. Politics and economics are the key supporters of popular thought; without an action or a reaction from a hierarchical body, there would be no message… Continue reading 1760-1800, Neoclassicism in Mourning Jewels

Love, Flowers and Diamonds Create a Perfect Ring

Forget-me-not and rose ring, with blue enamel, and diamond. Image courtesy of Julie Strawinski.

Floral motifs in the late 18th century mark a change in symbolic and mourning practice. Even more than just for the sake of mourning, the very ideal of wearing a flower marked a change in how people presented love and sentimentality. A bouquet of flowers is a fleeting message, but jewellery which could capture a… Continue reading Love, Flowers and Diamonds Create a Perfect Ring