5 Traditional Victorian Jewellery Pieces
Spanning from 1835-1890, the Victorian Era features some beautiful examples of jewellery, most of which were inspired or started by Queen Victoria and other members of the royal family. If you would like to inject some royal flare into your jewellery collection, here are 5 traditional Victorian jewellery pieces to look out for.
Choker-Style Necklaces
A versatile piece, the choker has been a style staple for decades, ranging from simple ribbon designs to lavish, highly decorated pieces. It was Queen Victoria’s daughter-in-law, Alexandra of Wales, who made the choker style popular in the Victorian era – she was rarely seen without one. Rumour has it that the royal wore chokers to cover a scar on her neck, but whatever the reason, the style took off and soon it was common for Victorian ladies to be seen wearing velvet or beaded chokers adorned with pearls.
Golden Jubilee Commemorative Jewellery
Queen Victoria’s golden jubilee in 1887 was commemorated with a range of pendants, brooches and medals, many of which were given to attendees of the celebration. These pieces are still widely available from antiques dealers, making attractive and historic additions to jewellery boxes and display cabinets.
Mourning Jewellery
Although mourning jewellery has been popular since the 18th Century, the style reached its peak in 1861, after the death of Prince Albert. Mourning colours were a staple for Queen Victoria’s clothing and jewellery, and this inevitably filtered down into the fashion of the time. Pendants, rings, bracelets and brooches adopted the deep hues of onyx or jet; some jewellery even featured locks of hair or photographs of deceased loved ones.
Hair Jewellery
Fashioning jewellery from human hair may not sound appealing in today’s world, but in the Victorian era it was the height of style. We have already mentioned how tresses of the dearly departed featured in mourning jewellery, but it was also common for husbands and wives to wear a watch fob or a brooch mounted with their spouse’s hair. Hair work was considered a beautiful art form, going beyond aesthetics to become something more sentimental for the wearer.
Enamel Brooches
Queen Victoria became fascinated with Scottish plaids after spending time in Balmoral Castle, a wedding gift from her father. This led to the heightened production of enamel jewellery with Scottish plaid motifs, and it was particularly popular for brooches to be made in the colours of the family tartan. For a more luxurious feel, brooches would also include gemstones such as jasper or carnelian.
We hope you have enjoyed reading about a small selection of classic jewellery pieces from the Victorian era. If you’d like more information, please pop in and see us in one of our shops, where we’d be happy to show you our latest Victorian jewellery in stock.