Victorian ear rings studs

  In our everlasting quest to find fresh antique jewelry we stumbled upon a real treasure. A jeweler's stock that has been in the family vaults for over 80 years. It is not often that we find jewelry that has been "trapped" in a time capsule. All jewelry in this stock was brand new when it was stored decades ago and besides a little dusting off we didn't have to do anything to offer it in its original splendour. This is as close to "brand new antique jewelry" as it can get.

Some information:
  Style: late-Victorian
  Material: 18K yellow gold.
  Precious stones: Two red strass or paste stones as ruby-imitation.
  Birthstones: Ruby is the birthstone (or month stone) for July.
  Hallmarks: Illegible remains
  Weight: 1.50 gram (0.96 dwt)
  Measurements: Diameter approx. 0.90 cm (0.35 inch)

Victorian jewelry (1830-1900)

      Originally the term "Victorian jewelry" was designated for articles of jewelry made in the United Kingdom during the reign of Queen Victoria, but not all of the many varieties produced during her long reign, 1837-1901, are now generally classified as Victorian jewelry. These days in the international antique jewelry trade the pieces now called Victorian jewelry are not necessarily made in the United Kingdom. The term "Victorian Jewelry" became a term used for European jewelry made in the 19th century rather then the description of a certain style-movement in a specific country.

     The Victorian era began in 1837 when a young Victoria ascended the throne of England. It ended over sixty years later when Queen Victoria died in 1901. During the early years of Victoria's reign, some jewelry was made in Gothic and Renaissance styles. The jewels of the period were often accented with seed pearls and coral. The middle period saw the vogue for ostentatious jewels decorated with the greatly increased supply of pearls and South African diamonds.

     After the death of Prince Albert, 1861, mourning jewelry came greatly in fashion. Jewelry became darker with more somber tones. Dark onyx and deep red garnets set in gold jewels with black enamel tracery are a typical example of this period.

     The 19th century saw a revival of interest in archaeological and historical jewelry, influenced by the excavations at Pompeii and the high-quality reproductions made by the Castellanis, Carlo Guiliano, and Gicinto Melillo, and the work of John Brogden. Much Jewelry was brought back by travellers as souvenirs, especially from India and Japan from c. 1850, and this was imitated in England during the 1860s to the 1880s.

     Gradually large pieces of jewelry were supplanted in the 1880-90s by smaller articles, and the production of inexpensive silver jewelry and novelty costume jewelry flourished.