Victorian Era (1836 to 1901)

The themes of sentiment and love epitomise Victorian jewellery.  Initially romantic jewellery with motifs of hearts, flowers and birds were popular, as were gemstones such as turquoise, seed pearls and opals. Human hair was also incorporated in jewellery and given as love tokens or worn as mourning jewellery.  Following the death of Queen Victoria's husband, Prince Albert in 1861 black enamel and darker gemstones such as jet and onyx became very fashionable.

Victorians were also fascinated by the discovery of archaeological treasures in Greece, Italy, Egypt and other countries.  This created a huge demand for jewellery which imitated the craftsmanship and classical designs produced by ancient jewellers.  Intricate gold jewellery mounted with ancient coins, cameos and intaglios were fashionable, as were classical motifs such as scarabs and lotus flowers.