Georgian Jewelry - 101

If you are considering investing in Georgian Jewelry read HERE first.

Georgian Jewellery is recession-proof, will increase in value, and is very exciting to collect.

Georgian Jewelry 101 condenses the Georgian period for you. You might like to check out the Jewelry in Art History for an overview, if you're a newbie to antique jewelry investing first.

Georgian Jewelry - On the Continent

Known as Empire Jewelry on the Continent and Georgian Jewelry in Britain, the splendid jewels of the 18th to mid 19th century in Europe and England, were influenced by the French emperor Napoléon Bonaparte whose enthusiasm for art, fashion and jewelry were only eclipsed by his enthusiasm, for "France, the army and Josephine" - Napoléon's famous last words.

Despite the French revolution of 1789, when a pair of fancy shoe buckles might be enough to condemn you to the guillotine, France managed to hold on to her role as the leaders of fashion and jewelry and Napoléon Bonaparte was one of the reasons why!

The Georgian, Louis, Empire was "the great age of aristocracy" that began with the death of Louis XVI in 1715.

Georgian architecture influenced Antique Georgian Jewelry.

Closely following trends in architecture and interior decoration, including Rococo, Greek and Roman, Pompeiian, and Gothic.

You can basically divide jewelry of the Georgian times into three distinct styles.

In Britain, the new style of "Rococo" might have coincided with George 1sts' reign but it originated in Paris in the 1730s. Early Georgian Jewelry reflects the gaiety and opulence the Georgians enjoyed in the new age.

Rococo style was curvilinear, over elaborate, complicated and involved highly decorative floral, shells, jeweled flowers, foliage and scrollwork patterns.

The use of large stones set in an elaborate rococo style was fashionable in Georgian times. Rococo was a departure from the symmetrical arrangement of gem-stones. Leading exponents of the style among jewelry designers were Girolami Venturi (c. 1739), Thomas Flach (c. 1736), Albini (c. 1744),and Christian Taute (c. 1750). In the second quarter of the 19th century in the history of jewelry, there was a period of 'revived rococo' style.

All Georgian Jewelry was handmade. This is one reason why Georgian Jewelry is so desirable today and a favorite antique jewelry of collectors.

Essentially in 18th century Georgian Jewelry is the ever present girandole motif, consisting of a surmount, bow and a three-drop form.

Glass paste copies of real gems were developed as well as a substitute for gold called "pinchbeck" named after its inventor. It was a cheap replacement for gold and was used for imitation pieces.

Gold with high karat content was preferred. However, Berlin iron made in that city from 1806 was popular during the Napoleonic Wars as a show of patriotism. Antique Berlin iron jewelry is also very collectible today.

Georgian "Paste" Gets the Royal Nod of Approval

Diamond alternatives were soon produced with such quality that it was entirely respectable for even royalty to wear them.

The best and most long lasting paste jewelry was produced after 1734 by Georges Stras, (1701-1773) who gave his name to paste jewelry in France. Stras invented an imporved flint-glass and a method of colouring foils for tinting diamonds. (Evans, J., 1989, A History of Jewellery, Dover Publications, N.Y.)

It should be remembered that men such as Stras were distinguished jewelers dealing in diamonds as well as paste.

At this time diamond cutters were introducing exciting new types of gem cuts such as rose cut, cushion, and 'brilliants' that sparkled well by candle-light. Thanks to the Venetian Vicenzo Peruzzi who introduced the brilliant cut around 1700. From the outset, the first design of pasted jewels approximated with a surprisingly small time-lag to those of diamonds.

Georgian Jewelry and Foiled Back Gemstones

Unlike the open work favored today for gem stones, the Georgians set gems over gold or silver foil with their backs enclosed with metal as rhinestones generally are today. It has only been in recent times, that jewelry foil backed always indicated a fake stone.

These Georgian earrings are a great example of superlative close-back mountings using copper gilt. The ear wires have been adapted and are 10kt gold.

These earrings were made approximately between the years, 1810-1820 and are set with genuine amethysts, if you look closely at the cut of the stones, you will notice that they each have been table-cut. The cut of the gemstones help you to period date antique jewelry.

The natural amethyst gemstones weigh approximately 2.5 carats each.

The effect of the copper gilt mounting and the medium violet purple amethyst which are not paste, but genuine gemstones, make the color of the amethyst an unusual shade of rose-gold color almost a pale bronze color.

This is one of the most appealing aspects I look for when investing in Georgian Jewelry, the affect of the foil backs on the natural gemstones. These Georgian earrings are available for purchase, POA. When enquiring, please quote Ref. No. 334 on the contact form.

The rim which encompasses a jewel, or bezel in Georgian Jewelry often will feature foil backed stones, low flat goldwork, and cobalt blue and black and white enameling are also common features of Georgian Jewelry. Georgian pieces, for example, a Georgian ring, might be detected by the way the stones are mounted.

In the 1750's colored stones were back in vogue. Emeralds, rubies, and sapphires were worn again along with new stones like white-imperial-pink topazes, amethyst, chartreuse chrysoberyl, coral, ivory, pearls, and garnets.

Georgian Jewelry After the Coronation of Napoleon - 1804

Moving into the early 19th century, it is obvious that French supremacy in jewelry design in the Georgian times had been firmly re-established. This was due to Napoléon's enthusiasm for the development of French arts and technology.

And as if coming to us from a fairy tale as gold spun from a wooden spinning wheel, in the second decade of the 19th century a remarkable form of Gold Work called Canetilled gold, was used to make light and yet luxurious jewelry. It was so named after the gold embroideries of the Napoleonic years.

Napoléon Bonaparte regarded the luxury of his court as an aspect of national prestige. Around this time complete matching jewels known as parures begin to be worn.

The favorite earrings of the time were long pearl or diamond pendeloques that Empress Josephine and other members of the imperial family wore.

In 1886, many of the French Crown Jewels were auctioned. (opens new window)

Empress Eugenie, known as "the Catholic Heart of the French Empire" was the fashionable wife of Charles Louis Napoléon (1808-1873), son of Louis Napoléon, the president of France in 1848-1852 and emperor in 1852-1870, reigning as Napoléon III, he was the nephew of Napoléon Bonaparte.

Eugenie was the daughter of a Spanish officer and her mother was from Scotch Roman Catholic descent. A Spanish countess, born in Granada, Spain, in 1826.

The auction marked a turning point in the political character of the French Republic and these incomparable French 'joules' wrote themselves into the History of Jewelry.

Early Neoclassical and Late Neoclassical Designs in Georgian Jewelry

Neoclassical style was inspired by Classical antiquity, this style borrowed style specifics from the ancient Greeks and the Roman empire (hence the name of the style). Inspired by publications documenting the new discoveries of ancient artifacts at the ancient Roman sites of Herulaneum and Pompeii.

The 'Grand Tour' also helped put neoclassical style firmly on the map. It had become an integral part of a good education and took in the recently evacuated sites of Italy including Pompeii.

Neoclassical shapes are generally more geometric. Scrolls and garlands were a popular theme. Decoration tended to be on the light and restrained side.

Late Neoclassical Design

Cameos and intaglios were major elements for the Late Neoclassical style. This style is reflected in the Late Neoclassical Georgian Cameo brooch that you can see on this page.

Late Neoclassical style directly reflects the imperial taste of Napoléon.

Napoléon opened in Paris a school of gem engraving which boosted the production of cameos of Classical inspiration.

This style was adopted in Europe. There was also a trend for Egyptian imagery such as hieroglyphs, scarabs and lotus leaves. In Britain it is called Regency style, while Empire was the current style of Sweden, Germany and Austria.

Empire influenced the American style called federation style and was characterized by motifs such as eagles, bellflowers and thunderbolts.

If you look at the Bacchante on this cameo, it is a young and beautiful woman and the carving is very detailed and in high relief. Examine her eyes. They have been drilled and are double-lidded. This will tell you it has been carved by a highly skilled Italian carver and is always a sign of superior quality when it comes to cameos.

This beautiful Italian Bacchante lava cameo brooch has been masterfully carved in Italy sometime during the 1840s.

It was purchased, most likely by a wealthy young lady on her "grand tour" of Europe and then set in 10 kt yellow gold in the original ribbon and garter motif when she returned to Britain. The piece is available for purchase, POA. To make further enquiries, please quote ref. no. 335 on this contact form.

Cameos and micromosaic medallions, recalling scenes of antiquity, were also in keeping with the political mood.

Design elements of Neoclassical Georgian Jewelry also may include laurel leaves and bands of Greek key patterns arranged with geometric precision that were taken from antique architecture (as ancient jewelry was relatively unknown). The Greek key pattern is a regular repeat of interlocking right-angle and vertical lines.

A cameo diadem carved from a single shell, with mythological scenes framed by gold, pearls and precious and semiprecious stones, was a present to Josephine from her brother-in-law Joachim Murat.

Simply marrying into the Bonaparte family was like opening a treasure chest. Napoléons interest in carved gems followed the Italian campaigns of 1796, when cameos were bought back to France from Italy.

As always, aristocracy sets the style in the history of jewelry. When Napoléon remarried, while Josephine retained all except the Crown Jewels, his second wife, Marie-Louise was given new parures of diamonds, of pearls, of emeralds, rubies, of sapphires and of opals and diamonds.

The famous "Napoleon Necklace" assembled in 1811, was presented by Napoléon Bonaparte to Marie- Louise, to celebrate the birth of their son.

Composed of 234 diamonds it weighs about 263 carats and is currently on exhibit at the National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, in Washington, DC.

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