Jewellery across the Renaissance, 18th, and 19th centuries reflects not only changing fashions but also evolving cultural values, technological advances, and artistic ideals. From devotional Renaissance pendants to Georgian diamond rivière necklaces and Victorian sentimental brooches, each era offers distinct expressions of beauty, status, and meaning.
🏛️ Renaissance Jewellery (c. 1400–1600)
The Renaissance marked a revival of classical antiquity and humanist ideals, influencing jewellery with mythological motifs, allegorical figures, and naturalistic ornament.
Key Characteristics:
- Materials: High-karat gold, enamel, pearls, table-cut diamonds, and coloured gemstones such as rubies, sapphires, and emeralds.
- Techniques: Enamelling (champlevé, cloisonné), filigree, granulation, and repoussé.
- Motifs: Biblical scenes, classical deities, grotesques, and botanical forms.
- Forms: Lavish pendants, devotional medallions, rings with hidden compartments, and ornate girdle accessories.
Notable Designers: Benvenuto Cellini, whose treatises on goldsmithing remain foundational, and Giovanni da Udine, known for grotesque ornament in the Vatican Loggias.
👑 18th-Century Jewellery: Georgian Elegance (c. 1714–1830)
The Georgian period, spanning the reigns of the four King Georges, embraced Rococo exuberance, Neoclassical restraint, and Enlightenment ideals.
Early Georgian (1714–1760):
- Styles: Rococo asymmetry, floral sprays, and giardinetti brooches.
- Materials: Rose-cut diamonds, garnets, topaz, and foiled back settings in silver and gold.
- Forms: Girandole earrings, rivière necklaces, and chatelaines.
Late Georgian / Neoclassical (1760–1830):
- Influences: Classical antiquity, archaeological discoveries, and Enlightenment rationalism.
- Motifs: Greek key patterns, urns, cameos, and intaglios.
- Techniques: Cannetille wirework, closed-back gemstone settings, and miniature portraiture.
Sentimental Jewellery: Mourning rings, hairwork lockets, and enamelled memorial pieces became popular, reflecting personal and emotional narratives.
🌹 19th-Century Jewellery: Romanticism and Revival (c. 1830–1900)
The 19th century saw dramatic shifts in jewellery design, driven by industrialisation, global trade, and historicist revival movements.
Victorian Era (1837–1901):
- Early Victorian / Romantic (1837–1860): Inspired by nature and sentiment. Snake motifs symbolised eternal love; floral sprays and hearts were common.
- Mid-Victorian / Grand (1860–1885): Heavier forms, mourning jewellery, and revivalist styles (Gothic, Renaissance, Etruscan).
- Late Victorian / Aesthetic (1885–1901): Lighter, more whimsical designs with Japanese and aesthetic influences.
Materials & Techniques:
- Gold: 15ct, 18ct, and 22ct gold used in intricate repoussé and granulated work.
- Gemstones: Diamonds (old mine and rose cuts), opals, turquoise, coral, and garnets.
- Innovations: Electroplating, mass production, and improved gemstone cutting.
Revival Styles:
- Renaissance Revival: Mythological pendants, enamelled grotesques, and baroque pearls.
- Etruscan Revival: Granulated goldwork and archaeological motifs, popularised by Castellani.
- Gothic Revival: Quatrefoils, ecclesiastical crosses, and medieval symbolism.
🧵 Symbolism and Sentiment Across Eras
| Motif | Meaning | Periods Used |
|---|---|---|
| Snake | Eternity, fidelity | Renaissance, Georgian, Victorian |
| Heart | Love, devotion | Georgian, Victorian |
| Urn | Mourning, remembrance | Georgian |
| Flowers (e.g. rose) | Beauty, transience, affection | All periods |
| Eye miniatures | Loyalty, secret love | Georgian |
| Scarab | Rebirth, protection | Victorian (Egyptian Revival) |
🏺 Collecting Today
At Nicholas Wells Antiques, antique jewellery is curated not only for its aesthetic merit but for its historical resonance. Whether a Georgian foiled diamond brooch, a Renaissance-style enamelled pendant, or a Victorian mourning ring, each piece offers insight into the artistry and emotion of its time.
These jewels are not merely adornments—they are miniature sculptures, cultural artefacts, and personal relics of lives once lived.
Image: Detail from A Goldsmith in his Shop Petrus Christus Netherlandish 1449 - Metropolitan Museum
