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Jewelry Style History 1860s-1920s

Updated: Apr 24

These three jewelry style periods co-existed with each other and overlapped the Victorian Era.


Arts and Crafts (1860-1920)

(a movement more than a style)


The Arts and Crafts movement emerged in response to the societal and artistic impact of the first Industrial Revolution (c. 1760-1830), which led to reliance on machines in many industries. The guided ages' interest in industry advancements spread to the Royal Society of Arts, which encouraged this over-mechanization. The Great Exhibition of 1851 was criticized because most of the items were machine-made and of poor quality. Critics like John Ruskin and William Morris felt machines had stripped artistry and beauty from everyday objects, including jewelry. In reaction, the Arts & Crafts Movement sought to revive medieval guild-style craftsmanship and elevate the individual artisan’s handwork over factory production.


Arts & Crafts Opal, Sapphire, and Pearl Ring. Lang Antiques
Arts & Crafts Opal, Sapphire, and Pearl Ring. Lang Antiques

Their core philosophy was that jewelry should be made entirely by hand by preferably one artisan from the design to the finished product. They rejected assembly line and mass production jewelry and focused on the design rather than the material worth. This was intended to make jewelry more affordable to the middle classes, but the prices rose due to labor costs. This period encouraged jewelry for practical use, like cloak clasps, belt buckles, and hair ornaments. The designs were more modest and simple.


Guild of Handicraft Jewelry Advertisement- Lang Antiques
Guild of Handicraft Jewelry Advertisement- Lang Antiques

Popular stones and techniques

The Arts and Crafts era focused on silver, copper, and aluminum, and used gold for accents. They preferred non-faceted cuts of stones like moonstone, garnet, amethyst, and irregular pearls. This prevented artists from reusing designs and instead crafting unique baroque pieces. This period was inspired by Gothic and Renaissance motifs and medieval aesthetics, emphasizing natural elements like florals, insects, and shells. Overall, the Arts and Crafts period prioritized the spirit of creativity and making, not just outcomes.





Art nouveau (1870-1915)

The Second Industrial Revolution (c. 1870-1914)


Art Nouveau, which means "new art," was a contemporary movement to the Arts & Crafts movement, but it was more glamorous, international, and expressive. It emerged from a desire to revive beauty in jewelry after a decline of interest in the 1870s and was influenced by the symbolist movement, Japanese art, and nature. This style coexisted with the Victorian, Arts & Crafts, and Edwardian eras. In 1854, Japan signed the Japan-US Treaty of Peace and Amity, which brought Japanese goods, ideas, and materials to the West.


"In England, the style’s immediate precursors were the Aestheticism of the illustrator Aubrey Beardsley, who depended heavily on the expressive quality of organic line, and the Arts and Crafts movement of William Morris, who established the importance of a vital style in the applied arts. On the European continent, Art Nouveau was influenced by experiments with expressive line by the painters Paul Gauguin and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. The movement was also partly inspired by a vogue for the linear patterns of Japanese prints (ukiyo-e)."- Britannica.


Dragonfly Lady brooch by René Lalique, made of gold, enamel, chrysoprase, moonstone, and diamonds (1897–98) By Sailko - Own work, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=61483974
Dragonfly Lady brooch by René Lalique, made of gold, enamel, chrysoprase, moonstone, and diamonds (1897–98) By Sailko - Own work, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=61483974

Similar to the Arts and Crafts movement occurring at the same time, artists and designers sought to revive craftsmanship and aesthetic quality in response to the mass production that often prioritized functionality over beauty. Additionally, the rise of urbanization and the middle class created a demand for new forms of art and design that reflected modern life. Art Nouveau became a means to break away from the rigid academic styles of the past and embrace innovation, individuality, and the beauty of nature.


Popular stones and techniques

Many common Art Nouveau symbols and designs, such as lotus flowers, originated during this time. It was in this period that jewelers began to be seen as artists rather than just craftsmen. The beauty of a piece was now more about its design than its materials. More symbols, imagery, and French Rococo style motifs appeared in jewelry, reflecting a longing for the natural ways of life that had been disrupted by the Industrial Revolution. This period is known for its fluid lines, asymmetry, and a focus on the female form. While it utilized precious metals, unlike the Arts & Crafts movement, it still preferred semi-precious stones and materials such as ivory, horn, agate, and pearls. Although Art Nouveau was relatively short-lived, it paved the way for the Art Deco style of the 1920s.





Edwardian/La Belle Époque (beautiful era) - 1900-1915


Named after King Edward of England, crowned after the death of Queen Victoria in 1901, the Edwardian era coexisted with Arts and Crafts and Art Nouveau, but had its unique style. The Gilded Age created many new millionaires, excited to show off their new wealth.


"One of the biggest problems in using platinum to make jewelry is that there was no furnace capable of reaching the temperature required to melt the metal. It was not until 1857 that Henri Ste. Clair Deville created the first furnace capable of melting platinum... [T]he invention of liquid oxygen in 1895 led to the invention of the oxyacetylene torch, which finally allowed jewelers to melt and cast platinum in their workshops." - Lang


A Diamond and Platinum necklace pendant. Image found via IGS. Photograph by Cole Bybee. Image courtesy of Lang Antique and Estate Jewelry
A Diamond and Platinum necklace pendant. Image found via IGS. Photograph by Cole Bybee. Image courtesy of Lang Antique and Estate Jewelry

The Edwardian era came to an abrupt halt 3 years after King Edward died, the start of WW1. Jewelry, stones, and precious metals were sold or hidden away, jewelers left their workshops to fight for their countries, and the violence and widespread fear changed societies forever, and would lead to the futuristic Art Deco style.


Popular stones and techniques

Platinum was now able to be used to make strong and delicate-looking lace-like lace like designs. This innovation is what leads to the style of Edwardian jewelry- white, delicate, and conventional designs. Stars, moons, spherical pearls, and wishbones were common designs from the Edwardian era, as well as an abundance of diamonds, thanks to the mines of South Africa and their export to the rest of the world. The Asher Cut was invented in 1902, and the first grown spherical pearl process was founded in Japan in 1905.




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