Blog — victorian jewelry

The excavation of ancient sites in Pompeii, Herculaneum, and Egypt in the mid 1700s influenced art, jewelry and fashion from Italy to England. Carved jasper, onyx, carnelian and shell became popular with the revival of Classical themes.    When Napoleon placed ancient Roman cameos on his 1804 coronation crown, he began a trend that has continued to the present day. Greek, Roman, and Etruscan symbols including serpents, crescents, carved stone signets and mythological gods appeared in jewelry from 1830 - 1900.    At the 1851 Great Exhibition in London, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert received the first mechanical keyless wind watches,...

The history of fashion and design is at the center of our work at Compass Rose Design Jewelry and I love sharing the historical moments of beauty and imagination that inspire our designs. This NeoClassical Revival choker made with a late-Victorian button is a direct reference to the jewelry worn the women in Napoleon's life from 1790-1814.Victorian Button Ornate Neoclassical Necklace by Compass Rose DesignThe emergence of fashion as an expression of individuality rather than social class alone was a concept that took form after the French Revolution as the old aristocratic regimes began to crumble and transform. We can...

Victorian inspired steampunk insect jewelry has risen in popularity, but few know the history of these designs are echos of elegant designs made more than a century ago. Throughout the Victorian era, images of the natural world were popular in jewelry, fashion, and furniture design.    One of my most popular Time Flies necklace designs harkens back to earlier designs.  I made this large statement pendant with an ivory colored antique pocket watch face, probably art deco, with red and black numbering. The  detailed antiqued gold and brass butterfly stamping is reminiscent of art nouveau designs by the French designer...