One universal characteristic of human beings is that they love to adorn their bodies. Naturally, the popularity of different styles of jewelry will ebb and flow throughout history. While most quality jewelry looks lovely all the time, designs of different eras followed particular rules and reflected specific tastes. Consider several different eras and what made the jewelry of those eras so distinctive.
The Victorian Era
There were a lot of prominent themes that emerged in the jewelry designs during this period. One was sentimentality, which was expressed in large numbers of tiny stones symbolizing different emotions and the beauty of nature. The Victorian period went on for a long time, and brought with it three generations worth of jewelry styles. Clovers, horseshoes and stars were just a few of the natural symbols that made Victorian jewelry really stand out. It’s not hard to find those same symbols in contemporary jewelry.
Edwardian
The extreme affluence of the upper class during this period made for some serious innovations in jewelry design. This was the first time platinum was worn on a wide scale, and the lacy look of filigree was first introduced. Even today, platinum jewelry is highly valued. The colors of the Victorian era faded into lovely monochromes.
Art Deco
The Art Deco period was all about contrasts. This was a period of machine-like sharp lines and designs inspired by the latest technology. However, the treasures of King Tut also played a role in influencing the jewelry of this era; King Tut’s recently discovered tomb inspired high style and designs that hearken back to Ancient Egypt. The designs of this period are sharp, bold and highly stylized.
Retro
A lot of Retro jewelry is characterized by curvature. During World War II, a lot of patriotic themes and floral designs were popular. Due to the war’s demand for metal, yellow gold came back into favor and replaced the white gold that had dominated jewelry for decades. Also, this was the first time rose gold came into widespread use.
Modern
The modern era has been anything but homogeneous. Warmer colors and simpler designs have characterized the periods of recession that have occurred since the war. Modern tastes have gone all over the map with regard to metals and stones, but the trends today are drifting toward larger, simpler designs. You can find a wide range of jewelry on eBay with almost every subject matter, style and look represented.
Jewelry is an important part of most civilizations and time periods. Certain aspects of a time period generally manifest themselves in the jewelry produced during that era. It is often easy to tell one era’s jewelry from another, even if you aren’t an expert.