Tag Archives: Georgian jewelry

History, Jewelry

Dating Jewelry: Landmark Discoveries, Inventions, and Historical Events

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Dating jewelry is done through multiple methods:  looking at design and stylistic clues; at construction techniques; at hallmarks; at materials used; and at patent numbers. However there are certain discoveries, inventions, and historic events that are milestones in jewelry history and knowing a few of them can help narrow down the date of a lot of pieces and eliminate some faulty attributions.  I’ve arranged these chronologically and included items of interest to collectors of both fine and costume jewelry. read more

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History, Jewelry

Identifying Georgian and Victorian Fakes

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fakesUPDATED FEBRUARY 2016 

I love Georgian and Victorian jewelry and am horrified by the quantity of fakes on the market.  In an attempt to bring these fakes to light, I’ve been undertaking an intense study of reproductions that are available for sale. fakesWhile these pieces are being sold as “reproductions” by their manufacturers, they rapidly hit the secondary market as genuine antiques, sometimes by unscrupulous dealers, and sometimes by people who genuinely believe they are old. Studying fakes won’t necessarily teach you how to spot genuine antiques, but it will hopefully help prevent you from making purchasing mistakes. read more

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Books, Books, History, Jewelry, Reviews

Georgian Paste Jewelry

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I love fine paste jewelry from all eras but Georgian paste is the finest ever produced.

Paste is glass that is meant to look like gemstones and in my Ruby Lane shop I have pieces dating from the Georgian era through the mid-20th century.  When I refer to “paste”, as opposed to rhinestone, jewelry I distinguish it by the quality of its construction:  paste jewelry is constructed just like fine jewelry using glass stones instead of gemstones in settings of gold or silver.  However, not everyone uses the term in this manner; some people throw around the terms “paste” and “rhinestone” interchangeably. read more

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