Georgian jewelry, also known in Europe as Louis style jewelry, is jewelry that dates from the reigns of King George I through IV of England.
The Georgian era was a grand and elegant time for adornment. Jewelry was almost entirely handcrafted as jewelers worked with silver and gold to create beautiful, ornate mountings for diamonds, sapphires, emeralds, garnets, amethysts, citrine and coral.
Rose cut and table cuts were the most popular diamond cuts. Diamonds were typically set in silver with a gold interior. Unlike today, the stones were almost always entirely enclosed by silver. A reflective surface called a foil back was usually set beneath the stone. This foil back setting gives diamonds from the Georgian era a very different look from diamonds of today and it is one of the reasons diamonds from this era are so sought after. They have an almost otherworldly sparkle that is enhanced by candlelight.
Diamonds were very difficult to come by in this era, so many, even royalty, wore cut steel, marcasite, rock crystal and paste. Paste is the crème de la crème of rhinestones. Made of stretched glass, Georgian paste is exquisite and very valuable.
Other fashions were navette rings, Memento Mori jewelry (or hair jewelry) as well as floral & scroll motifs and hanging elements like exotic tassels.
Difficult to find, but oh so beautiful, the Georgian era is one of the most beautiful jewelry eras.
TO ISADORAS GEORGIAN
© 2012-2015 ISADORAS, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.