From the Romantic period's serpent rings and seed pearl lockets to the Grand period's bold gem-set clusters and the Aesthetic movement's Japanese-inspired enamel work — every piece is sourced personally, authenticated, and one of a kind.
Victorian jewellery spans Queen Victoria's reign, from 1837 to 1901, and few periods produced jewellery so full of meaning: snake rings for eternal love, lockets of hair for memory, flowers carrying coded messages, and heavy gold signet rings with family crests.
What to look for. British pieces from the period are often fully hallmarked with carat, assay office and date letter, while Continental work may carry French or Austro-Hungarian marks. Old mine and rose cut diamonds, garnets, turquoise, coral and seed pearls are typical, and bloodstone and carnelian dominate men's signets.
Dating clues. Early Victorian jewellery is romantic and naturalistic; after Prince Albert's death in 1861, mourning jewellery in jet and black enamel became widespread; late Victorian pieces turn lighter, with stars, crescents and insects.
