18th century jewelry was elegant, ornate, and purposeful to the wearer as a symbol of status and personal style. Goldsmiths living and working in the 1700s crafted jewelry by hand and took painstaking care to ensure the satisfaction of their clients and contribute to jewelry innovations of the time. Most jewelry made during this period featured openwork designs that were just as beautiful as the metal used to make them and the jewels set within them. The heavy, symmetrical, and mostly gold jewelry of the 17th century slowly gave way to the lighter, more asymmetrical and organic styles of the 18th century. Metropoliten museum, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons General Jewelry Characteristics in the 18th Century 18th century jewelry featured openwork and airy designs inspired by nature. In many ways, the key features of jewelry in the 1700s remain influential in the jewelry we make and wear today, so it is important to understand the accessories of this opulent time period and the people who wore them. Let’s dive into the history of jewelry in the 18th century and examine the ways in which jewelry served as a mirror of larger trends in society at the time. The opening of diamond mines in India and Brazil in the 1720s made these and other precious gemstones more widely available. In a world of increased globalization and the prosperity that came from colonization and global trade, the types of materials used and the techniques applied to jewelry making became more abundant and complex. Joeman Empire, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons Both middle and upper class people enjoyed the beauty of jewelry in the 18th century. Elites now enjoyed longer balls, and other evening social events where ornate and sparkling jewels enhanced their appearance. Interestingly, developments in candle making allowed people to wear daytime and evening jewelry like never before. Several new trends came to the forefront in the upper classes as well as parts of the middle class as both groups enjoyed a good amount of leisure and experimented with new jewelry styles.įashion icons in England, France, and elsewhere heavily influenced the way jewelry was made and worn by upper class society and trends appeared and disappeared as frequently as month to month in courts across England and continental Europe. The 18th century, or Georgian Period (named after the five Georges that ruled England during this century) stands apart from European and colonial jewelry of earlier times. 1.4 Trends in 18th Century Jewelry Design, Styling, and Wear
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