August 13, 2009
Jewelry Periods: Edwardian
In 1901, Queen Victoria passed away and her son Edward became the King of England. Wit
h his coronation came the next period in jewelry history. The Edwardian era lasted from 1901 to 1915.
According to vintage jeweler Fay Cullen, high society was in full swing during this time and lavish jewelry became the style. Heavy gold settings were very popular duirng the Victorian period, but styles became delicate and lacy during Edward’s reign. This jewelry was some of the first to significantly symbolize love and romance. 
Along with these intricate filigree patterns, white metals — particularly platinum — became very popular. White gemstones like pearls also gained popularity, and diamonds really soared during the Edwardian period.
In fact, many small diamonds were often used in a single piece to create a rich, encrusted look that was very sparkly. These rich designs were sometimes complimented by bright, vibrant gemstones such as r
ubies, emeralds and sapphires.
Other popular Edwardian designs include tassels, wreaths, garlands and bows, which were influenced by Marie Antoinette’s jewelry. Featuring lots of intricate and detailed design, her jewels often had scalloped edges and millgrain.
These designs were created by craftsmen who were masters of their art and had very high standards.
The above photos depict Edwardian-style jewelry, and they came from johnanthonyjewelers.com, kaboodle.com and estatedept.com.
joan grier said,
August 3, 2010 at 4:50 am
this edwardian pin is RAVISHING! It is so refined it takes my breath away.. Over the last five years I have purchased several edwardian pieces – mostly pendants Can it be used as a pendant?..