You’ve decided the glitzy bling of modern engagement rings lacks uniqueness and your wandering interest has been piqued by the allure of antique engagement rings. There’s an unmistakable character and style about them that modern rings are…

GEORGIAN PERIOD – 1714-1837 The Georgian Period of jewelry design covers the reign of four English kings named George: George I, II, III, and IV. Even though the name of the period is English derived, the English alone were not responsible for…

It seems that every person between the ages of 8 and 18 knows the story of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone and Froto the hobbit and his journey through the Middle Earth in the Lord of the Rings. Gemstones and jewelry have been a part of…

mid-Victorian era – 1861-1885 – The Grand Period In 1861, Prince Albert passed away and the American Civil War started; both incidents bring an abrupt halt to the whimsical romance of the early Victorian years. The Grand Period…

The populace is tired of the stiff and brooding decorum of the middle Victorian years and wanted to kick off its heavy trappings.  Jewelry is almost completely machine-produced. However, many jewelers bridled under the onslaught of mass produced…

The Early Victorian Period of jewelry design began with Queen Victoria’s ascension to the throne in 1837 and ended with her death in 1901. As England’s longest reigning monarch, Victoria’s span as queen saw enormous changes in industry,…

Where did gem cutting get its start? Gem cutting, or lapidary, most certainly got its start as an offshoot of mundane everyday activities. A stone may have fallen into a fire where the heat caused it to break or flake. Perhaps a sharp edge…

The Belle Époque (1890-1915) encompassed three jewelry design periods: Art Nouveau, the Arts and Crafts movement, and Edwardian. The “Beautiful Era” was a time of increasing wealth and flourishing arts. When cinema boomed, movie stars,…