The Edwardian Era was named after England’s King Edward VII and was considered to be one of the shortest eras in history lasting only from 1901 until 1910. This was the era in which the advancements in manufacturing made the cost of jewelry reduce so more people could afford to adorn their bodies.

Even though this was a new era, many of the jewelry pieces seen during the Art Novueau and the Arts and Crafts era were still popular during the reign of King Edward VII.

The fine jewelry found during this era used gold, platinum, and diamonds. Platinum had been used previous but it had been very hard to work with to produce beautiful jewelry pieces. The advancements in manufacturing and technology brought platinum on the table as one of the most popular precious metals to use to create delicate and beautiful pieces. The overall style of jewelry still used fabrics of lace of silk, which brought the use of Millegrain and invisible setting and new stone cutting techniques. Millegrain would use the platinum or gold and secure the edge of a stone with ridges of tiny beads or grains surrounding the gem. Platinum and gold were both used to create what was called Knife-edges or openwork designs. This produced lightweight and inconspicuous settings for the precious gems.

Motifs were popular and the most common during the Edwardian Era were crescent moons, insects, serpents, and stars.

The most popular jewelry styles included the dog collar necklaces, bar brooches, bead and pearl sautoirs, spring bracelets, bangle bracelets, chain bracelets, jewelry sets with all clear or white stones.

The most common metals and stones used for jewelry during the Edwardian Era were amethysts, emeralds, opals, pearls, peridots, rubies, sapphires, platinum, silver, gold, and white gold after 1910.

Pearls were very popular but they were also very expensive and only the wealthy could afford to wear them. Queen Alexandra the wife of King Edward VII word seven rows of pearls each 24 inches to 30 inches long to her coronation. Along with the pearls, she wore rows of diamond chokers and several brooches, which covered her dress.

The most popular necklaces of the Edwardian Era include

Negligee necklaces, which were two pendants that hung at the different lengths from the chain.

The sautoir was a very long necklace that would hit just below the waistline. They were often created from beads and had tassels on the ends.

A lavaliere was a pendant necklace that was suspended from a small thin chain.

Brooches were very popular and they worn on various places over the body. There was no wrong way to wear a brooch during this era in time. During this time, it was not uncommon to find unique brooches with motifs depicting sports such as fox heads, golf clubs, horseshoes, and riding crops on many of the brooches.

Bracelets of all types were still very popular either worn singly or in multiples.

Other jewelry items just as important as the ones mentioned above include hatpins, stickpins, and watch fobs.

The Art Deco Era has many unique names according to the person you are talking with and exactly what you are talking about, such as the Roaring Twenties or the Jazz Age. This was the time in history when many changes were taking affect in the United States. During this time, women received the right to vote, prohibition, mob activity, cocktail parties, and new art forms were developed.

This era was unlike any other that brought drastic change to America in the fashion industry. Women began wearing shorter length dresses, which were straight and created with thin fabrics with dropped waists. New hairstyles were created such as the bobbing of the hair, makeup was worn in public, and smoking by women was done in public. In addition, more skin was shown with low cut necklines, sleeveless blouses, see through areas on the clothing, and backless or practically backless dresses.

Because of this new trend, jewelry changed as well. Women desired all kinds of new trinkets such as jeweled cigarette cases, cigarette holders, jeweled handbags, and makeup cases. Platinum began being used more often and new stone cuts were available such as the emerald cuts, marquises, and pear shapes.

Since the lifestyle of the Art Deco era was more bold and daring so was the jewelry. Many of the jewelry items formed geometrical shapes, wild colors, and of course, the more jewelry worn the better.

Jewelry was created with all the precious stones and metal of the past however, new trends involved paste, coral, crystal, and onyx. In addition, many precious and non-precious gems or set side by side in the same jewelry piece.

Long strands of beads, pearls, and pendants, which hang all the way to the waist, were very popular especially among the Flappers.

The bangle bracelets were often not left to dangle but were pushed high up either on the arm and straight line bracelets were the most popular singly or in multiples.

Motifs seen during the Art Deco era included cubism, geometric designs, abstract designs, oriental art, Aztec art, Islamic designs, architectural designs, and florals.

The most common metals and stones during this time were diamonds, rubies, sapphires, rock crystals, carnelian, onyx, chrysoprase, marcasite, jade, ivory, amber, Mother of Pearl, Platinum, white and yellow gold.

Costume Jewelry was also very popular and was created with unique materials such as glass, horn, bone, paste, glass, chrome, synthetic gems, Tortoiseshell, and plastics.

Men were not left out during this era. The cufflinks, tie bars, and tiepins were often adorned with the same artistic style seen in the jewelry worn by women. The money clips were created often times with white gold with a simple engraving studded with a single cabochon cut gem. Along with this since smoking was an in thing, many men carried a cigar cutter or lighter in their pocket.

Rudolph Valentino, the famous film star of the time, set the standard for men when he popularized the wristwatch. These wristwatches were created from platinum, white gold or yellow gold and many were adorned with diamonds, triangular cut sapphires, and other cuts of precious stones. Pocket watches were soon to be a thing of the past.

All good things must come to an end and with the beginning of World War II so ended the Art Deco era.

The Retro Era came right after the Art Deco era and all the glamor that was seen in the 20’s and 30’s. However, this was also the time of World War II; women had to go back into the work force to compensate for absent men off at war. Many were taking on what was considered at the time men’s work. Women were seen in factories and wearing trousers instead of dresses. Women on the film screen gave other women dreams of a time where they could wear all the fancy clothing and jewelry they were seeing in the movies. The Duchess of Windsor also had an impact with her bold and unique jewelry.

The Retro Era did combine some of the jewelry found in the Art Deco art. There were some characteristic that were similar only that instead of the angular sleek design of the Art Deco era this era showed more flowing designs and bolder sizes. The war effort took much of the platinum, gold, and silver. Shortages were also seen in pearls and gems due to embargoes, thus more semi precious and synthetic gems were used to create new jewelry styles.

Travel was restricted to European countries, but access to Mexico was easy. Many of the Mexican jewelry makers began to see a huge need in their styles. Mexican jewelry makers such as Taxco, Spratling, Aguilar, and Los Castillos were all the rave.

Elements that were used most often during the Retro Era include multi-colored gold, sculptural designs, 3-D designs, curving, flowing designs such as bows, ribbons, and scrolls, large cut semi precious stones, synthetic stones, pieces of gold, oversized scale, charms, charm bracelets, illusions settings, and patriotic motifs.

The fine jewelry makers of the Retro Era included Carier, Harry Winston, and Van Cleef and Arpels. Major costume jewelers were Coro Dior, Haskell Napier, and Trifari Boucher.

In most cases, jewelry of the Retro era was oversized bold pieces to draw attention. Charm bracelets became very popular with the event of the Duchess of Windsor wearing one on her wedding day. Her charm bracelet dangled with gem set crosses.

Brooches were created in patriotic styles using such forms as military insignia, eagles, and the US flag.

Instead of the long dangling earrings of the Art Deco era, the Retro Era saw earring close and clinging to the earlobe using with screw backs or clips.

Since the majority of European designers were out of reach to the US the popularity of costume jewelry was on rise. Plastic suitable for jewelry was used during the 1920’s and was still popular during the Retro Era mainly Bakelite and Lucite. This plastic would be molded or cast, and then top carved, under carved, painted, or then set with rhinestones. With mass production the use of paste was often used in the past, however, it was more expensive that using plastic which did replace paste during this time.

This was the beginning of costume jewelry, which is still very popular today. Even during times of war, women could wear beautiful jewelry without the cost of the expensive metals and precious stones, which were unavailable.

The Romantic Era or the early Victorian Era is from 1837 until 1860 The Victorian Era received its name for Englands Queen Victoria who ascended to the throne at the age of 18 in 1837. She had a major influence of the fashion as well as the jewelry worn during this time.

At the beginning of the Romantic era and the ending of the Georgian era, Ferronieres were very popular. These types of jewelry were chains or ribbons adorned with a single jewel, which was to be worn on the forehead.

Clothing fashion changed along with the type of jewelry worn. During the Romantic Era, multiple bracelets were worn as well as brooches, earrings, rings, and necklaces. The most popular bracelet during this time were once that were at least 1 inch wide or wider which were either solid hinged bangles or ones of gold chain, pearls, and gemstones.

Earrings were also very popular except for the years during 1840 until 1890 when bonnet ribbons were worn.

Lockets were very popular sentimental jewelry of the Romantic Era. In these lockets were small tokens of affection such as locks of hair or small photographs. These were always worn under clothing to protect the special token inside and to keep away gossip.

Brooches were seen worn in various ways on the shoulder, on the neck, in the hair on the waist, and on ribbons worn as bracelets and necklaces.

Religious symbols were still the main theme for all types of jewelry. Some of the most popular were crosses, doves, ivy, Greek letters, and snakes, which at the time was a symbol of eternity.

Symbolic jewelry was worn with meanings as follows:

Dogs - faithfulness

Pearls - Tears

Fly - modesty

Butterfly - Soul

Daisy - virtue

Fern - attraction

Mistletoe - A kiss

Doves - domestic

Bluebells - reliability

Wishbone - Wish and Hope

Lilac - Constant Love

Flaming Heart - passionate desire

Forget Me Nots - Remember me

Arrows - Love

Crowned Heart - victorious love

Ivy - Friendship

Clasped Hands - Friendship or Lasting Love

Lizards - Passionate Love and desire

Roses - had several different meanings.

Precious gems also had symbolic meaning such as:

Diamond - Constancy

Amethyst - loyalty

Emerald - optimism

Ruby - fervor

During the Romanic Era, Victorian jewelry was found to be most popular with the stones such as agate, diamond, onyx, glass, carnelian, emerald, amber, coral, opal, peridot, ruby, sapphire, turquoise, garnet, and pearls. Jewelry was create out of such materials as bog oak, enamels, cut steel, human hair, ivory, tortoiseshell, pinchbeck, very small tiles known as micro-mosaic, silver, gold, and the cameos were often made from shell, stone, lave, and gemstone.

The best jewelry or fine jewelry during the Victorian Era was a sign of wealth. It was used to show the social standing and the status of the person wearing the jewelry and of course their family. Not all jewelry was appropriate as in Europe unmarried younger women were only allowed to wear chains, crosses, pearls, or mourning jewelry. Only married women as an appropriate age were allowed to wear such items as gems or diamonds.