Antique jewellery is usually dated by era: Georgian (1714–1837), Victorian (1837–1901), Edwardian (about 1901–1915) and Art Deco (about 1920–1939). Each period has its own fingerprint, and once you know what to look for you can place most pieces within a few decades. The cut of the stones, the metal, the way the stones are set, the hallmarks and the style all point the same way. Here is a dealer's guide to the four great eras of antique jewellery, and to the practical checks we use every day to date a piece.
The eras at a glance
- Georgian, 1714–1837: handmade, rose-cut and table-cut diamonds, foiled closed-back settings, silver set on gold, sentimental and mourning jewels.
- Victorian, 1837–1901: a long reign in three moods, from romantic naturalism through mourning and archaeological revivals to the light, diamond-set jewels of the 1890s.
- Edwardian, c.1901–1915: platinum, lace-like openwork, millegrain edges and the airy garland style of the Belle Époque.
- Art Deco, c.1920–1939: geometry, bold contrasts of colour, calibre-cut stones, white metals and streamlined forms.
The dates are a guide rather than a rule. Styles overlapped, provincial jewellers were slower to change than those in London or Paris, and every period revived the ones before it. Dating a piece means weighing several clues together.
Georgian jewellery (1714–1837)
Named after the four King Georges, and running on through the reign of William IV, the Georgian period is the earliest that most collectors will meet in any number. Every piece was made by hand, and far less survives than from later eras: gold and stones were routinely melted down and reset as fashions changed.
The great clue is the diamond. Georgian diamonds are usually rose cut, with a flat back and a domed, faceted top, or old mine cut, a chunky cushion shape cut by eye. They were set in closed-back collets, often with a thin sheet of coloured or silvered foil behind the stone to heighten its sparkle by candlelight. Diamonds were usually set in silver, to flatter their whiteness, with the silver fused onto a gold back so that it would not mark the skin or clothes. Paste, a finely made glass, was respected in its own right, and sentimental jewels such as mourning rings, hairwork and lockets were worn everywhere.
Our Georgian diamond floral cluster ring of about 1780 shows nearly all of these features at once: rose-cut diamonds in closed, foil-backed silver settings on an 18ct gold band, arranged as a four-lobed flower. For more on this period, read our guide to Georgian jewellery, rose-cut diamonds and foil.
Victorian jewellery (1837–1901)
Queen Victoria reigned for 63 years, and jewellery changed enormously over that time. Historians usually divide the period into three phases.
The Romantic period (1837–c.1860)
The young queen's jewellery set the tone. Prince Albert gave her an engagement ring in the form of a serpent, and snakes, flowers, leaves, hearts and clasped hands filled the jewellers' windows. Gold was worked into elaborate textured and chased surfaces, and hair jewellery and lockets remained popular. Our guide to 2,000 years of snake rings follows one of these motifs across the centuries.
The Grand period (c.1861–1885)
Albert's death in 1861 plunged the court into mourning, and black jewellery of jet, onyx and enamel became fashionable. At the same time, archaeological discoveries inspired revival styles: Etruscan Revival goldwork with fine granulation, Egyptian Revival scarabs, and Renaissance Revival enamels. Jewels of this phase are often bold and heavy.
The Late or Aesthetic period (c.1885–1901)
New diamond finds in South Africa from the late 1860s made diamonds far more plentiful, and late Victorian jewellery sparkles with them: stars, crescents, half-hoop rings and fine bangles set with old European cut stones. In Britain, lower gold standards of 15ct, 12ct and 9ct were made legal in 1854, so later Victorian pieces are often found in these alloys. Our dealer's guide Is Victorian jewellery valuable? looks at what these pieces are worth today.
The fashion was international. Our Victorian emerald and diamond bangle was made in Vienna around 1880, set with emeralds and old European cut diamonds, and carries the Austrian fox head mark for 14ct gold, the Vienna city mark and the maker's initials SK. A small flower on the underside works as a screw, releasing the gem-set top.
Edwardian jewellery (c.1901–1915)
Edward VII reigned only from 1901 to 1910, but the Edwardian style runs from the late 1890s to the First World War. This was the Belle Époque, and its jewellery is the most delicate ever made. Running alongside it, Art Nouveau (c.1890–1910) offered a more artistic, flowing alternative of enamel, horn and sinuous women and flowers.
The key to Edwardian jewellery is platinum. Improved torches made it practical to work this strong, white metal, and jewellers used it to create pierced, lace-like settings that would have been impossible in gold or silver. Look for the "garland style", inspired by 18th-century French ornament, with bows, swags, wreaths and tassels; for millegrain, the tiny beaded edge around each stone; and for an all-white palette of diamonds, pearls and platinum, often relieved by sapphires or rubies.
Our Edwardian platinum sapphire ring of about 1910 is a textbook example: a cushion-cut sapphire of around 1.6ct in a millegrain openwork platinum setting, with old European cut and rose-cut diamonds along the shoulders. Gold did not disappear. Our Edwardian diamond snake ring is fully hallmarked for 18ct gold at Chester in 1913, a reminder that the best dating evidence of all is a clear British date letter.
Art Deco jewellery (c.1920–1939)
After the war, jewellery design turned sharply modern. The style takes its name from the 1925 Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, and it is defined by geometry: straight lines, arrows, chevrons, stepped forms and strong symmetry. Platinum and white gold dominate, and colour returns in crisp contrasts of sapphire, ruby, emerald, onyx and coral. Calibre-cut stones, cut to fit their settings exactly, and new shapes such as the baguette are typical. The discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb in 1922 also sparked a fresh wave of Egyptian motifs.
Our French Art Deco bypass bangle of about 1920 sums up the period in one piece: an 18ct gold hoop whose crossing ends finish in arrowhead terminals, set with rose-cut diamonds in millegrain platinum and edged with calibre-cut sapphires. It bears French control marks.
How to date a piece of antique jewellery
1. Look at the cut of the diamonds
Diamond cutting changed steadily, which makes it one of the most reliable clues. Table and rose cuts point to the Georgian period or earlier, though rose cuts stayed in use as accents into the 1930s. Old mine cuts, with a high crown, small table and large open culet, belong mostly to the 18th and 19th centuries. The rounder old European cut appears in the later 19th century and runs into the 1930s. A crisp modern brilliant suggests a later piece, or a later replacement stone.
2. Look at the metal and the setting
Closed, foiled backs are typical of Georgian and early Victorian work; open settings, which let light through the stone, became standard as cutting improved. Silver-topped gold was the norm for diamonds until platinum took over in the early 20th century. Millegrain edges and pierced platinum galleries point to the Edwardian and Art Deco periods.
3. Read the hallmarks
British hallmarks can date a piece to the year. A date letter gives the year of assay, a town mark tells you where, and the standard mark gives the purity. The sovereign's head duty mark appears between 1784 and 1890. The 15ct and 12ct standards existed only from 1854 to 1932, when 14ct replaced them, so a 15ct mark is a useful dating clue. Foreign marks help too, such as the French owl used on imported gold, or the Austrian fox head on our Viennese bangle. Remember that much Georgian jewellery, and many rings sold by retailers, were never hallmarked, and that a missing mark alone proves nothing.
4. Check the construction and wear
Early pieces are built by hand, with slight irregularities, and show soft, even wear on the high points. Modern casting, laser welds, modern screw fittings and sharp, unworn edges suggest later work or repairs. A loupe will tell you a great deal.
5. Beware of revivals
Every era borrowed from the past. The Victorians revived Georgian and Renaissance styles, and Art Deco designs have been reproduced ever since. When the style says one thing and the stones, metal and marks say another, trust the physical evidence. Our guide to the symbols of antique jewellery can also help you read what a piece was meant to say.
Available now
- Georgian diamond floral cluster ring, c.1780, 18ct gold and silver, UK P / US 7¾
- Victorian emerald and diamond bangle, Vienna, c.1880, 14ct gold
- Edwardian platinum sapphire ring, c.1910, UK M / US 6¼
- Edwardian diamond snake ring, 18ct gold, Chester 1913, UK V / US 10½
- French Art Deco bypass bangle, c.1920, 18ct gold and platinum
Browse by era: Georgian jewellery, Victorian jewellery, Edwardian jewellery and Art Deco jewellery. If you have a piece of antique jewelry you would like help dating, or would like more photographs of anything in stock, we are always happy to help.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between antique and vintage jewellery?
By convention, antique jewellery is at least 100 years old, which today means pieces made before the mid-1920s. Vintage usually describes jewellery that is old but less than a century, such as pieces from the 1930s to the 1980s. Art Deco sits across the line, so its earlier pieces are now antique.
Which era of antique jewellery is the most valuable?
No single era is worth most. Value depends on rarity, quality, condition and the stones. Fine Georgian jewellery is scarce because so much was remade, and top Edwardian and Art Deco platinum pieces are highly sought after, but ordinary pieces exist from every period.
Can a piece be dated without hallmarks?
Yes. Most dating relies on the cut of the stones, the metal, the setting, the construction and the style, read together. Hallmarks, when present, are a valuable confirmation rather than the only evidence.
When did platinum come into jewellery?
Platinum came into wide use around 1900, and it is one of the hallmarks of Edwardian and Art Deco jewellery. A diamond set in platinum is very unlikely to be earlier than the late 19th century.