That Can't Be Victorian Jewelry

As an antiques dealer, my specialty lies in antique and vintage jewelry. I am constantly buying and selling antique jewelry. Consequently, I am always researching and checking prices of pieces of Victorian jewelry on other internet sites. It amazes me how many sellers incorrectly classify jewelry as Victorian when it is obviously not!

What is Victorian jewelry? The most elementary qualification for Victorian jewelry is the time period in which it was made: 1837-1901, corresponding to the reign of Queen Victoria of England. Therefore, Victorian jewelry pieces are true antiques (over 100 years old)!

That being said, it is easiest to begin explaining Victorian jewelry by what it can't be! If one finds any of the following features on a piece of jewelry that is being sold as Victorian, it most certainly is not! Or, it has been repaired with a non-period fix that will drastically lower the value of the piece. Therefore, it should be lower in price than a comparable Victorian piece with no repairs!

1. Victorian earrings can't have post backs, clip backs, kidney shaped wires, wing backs, or omega back closures. (Early Victorian earrings have simple, long looped wires for pierced ears. Screw back earrings came about in the 1890's at the end of the Victorian era.)

2. Victorian brooches pins can't have tongue in groove safety catches/clasps. These were not invented until 1910. If one is positive a brooch pin hails from the Victorian era but it has a safety clasp, it has been repaired with non-period hardware. (Victorian brooches pins have simple c-clasps, period!)

3. Victorian jewelry can't be made of white gold. White gold was not introduced into the market until the 1920's. (The predominant base materials for Victorian jewelry were pinchbeck, gold, silver, or gold filled metal. Platinum was also used to make jewelry from the mid 1800's on, but it did not see widespread use in jewelry until the Edwardian era: 1901-1910.)

4. Victorian necklaces can't contain round cultured pearls. (Round Cultured pearls came onto the worldwide market after Kokichi Mikimoto patented his method for creating them in 1916.)

5. Victorian diamonds can't be brilliant cut. (The modern brilliant cut for diamonds wasn't invented until 1919 by Marcel Tolkowsky, a Belgian lapidary.)

6. Victorian necklaces can't have barrel clasps. (Barrel clasps were invented in the 1930's.)

7. Victorian jewelry can't contain aurora borealis rhinestones. (This "rainbow" coating wasn't invented until the mid 1950's.)

Hopefully, these points will help you avoid getting duped when in the market for Victorian jewelry! At the very least, you will be knowledgeable enough to point out an obvious repair which will substantially reduce the value of the piece!

Would you like more in-depth information about antique jewelry? This article: "What to Look for When Identifying Antique Jewelry," should be helpful!

Happy Hunting and shopping!

Notes:
1. You can visit my online shop at: rubylane.com/shops/treasureboxantiques, to see examples of Victorian jewelry.

2. Don't confuse the term, "Victorian jewelry" with the term "Victorian Revival jewelry." They are from two separate time periods!

Sources:

1. Personal Experience.

2. Danielle Olivia Tefft , "What to Look for When Identifying Antique Jewelry," Associated Content.

3. "Cambridge Precious Metals," cambridgepm.com/pages/links_platinum.html.

4. "Cultured Pearls | Pearl-Guide.com," pearl-guide.com/cultured-pearls.shtml.

5. "Old European Gemstone Cuts," khulsey.com/jewelry/old_european_diamond_cuts.html.