Jewelry Design Influences
Jewelry has been a source of human wonder for centuries from ancient Egyptian Jewelry to the amazing Cheapside horde, the allure of sunken treasure persists to modern times. Amazing pieces like Rich gold full face masks, incredible mystical Emeralds from South America, down to simple everyday amulets inciting intrigue about their wearer and the story behind the piece.
As a Jewelry creator I have always been fascinated by the different styles of these pieces from around the world with their distinctly different cultural influences, studying their craftsmanship and marveling at the most timeless designs. I love to discover that ultimate simple piece standing out through the passage of time. The following style periods of Jewelry lists some of my favorite design influences that inspire my personal style through my life journey of hand making Jewelry. I love to explore using different techniques and methods of production to create that timeless appeal. This list is by no means exhaustive; it simply lists some of the styles that interest me personally with some interesting knowledge surrounding them.
Ancient Egyptian
Egyptian Jewelry ornamentation is often composed of symbols with precise meanings closely linked to hieroglyphic writing. Common motifs include the scarab beetle, lotus flower, Isis’s knot, Horus’ eye, falcon, serpent, vulture, and sphinx, all tied to religious cults. Gold is predominantly used complemented gems like by carnelian, turquoise, and lapis lazuli. Despite a limited repertoire of decorative motifs, artist-craftsmen created a variety of compositions based on strict symmetry or a rhythmic repetition of shapes and colors. Known for its intricate goldwork and the use of colored gemstones, the ancient Egyptians crafted Jewelry as both adornment and talismans, with designs often symbolizing elements of their religion and mythology. Produced by hand in high carat rich colored gold Egyptian Jewelry is a testament to the everlasting beauty of yellow gold.
Greek and Roman
"Greek and Roman period encompasses Jewelry from the Classical lands from the early Bronze Age to the late Roman period, almost 4000 years of continuous development and innovation in the craft. Early Bronze Age cultures of the Aegean include the Cyclades and Mainland Greece including early Crete with Minoan culture influenced by immigrants from Anatolia and Syria. Later contacts between Greece and the East lead to a period of Oriental influence on Greek art. The Etruscan civilization of Central Italy began around 700 through to the conquests of Alexander the Great transforming the Greek world with influences from newly conquered territories of Egypt and Western Asia."
The Greeks and Romans favored more delicate and natural designs, often featuring intricate filigree and granulation techniques. Gold wreaths with foliage emulating olive wreaths, human figures and animal heads including lions, bulls, goats, and dolphins. The reef knot symbolizing matters of the heart makes an appearance influenced by Egyptian design. The use of gemstones and colored glass with inlays of stone creating a beautifully colorful appearance became more widespread during this period.
Medieval Gothic
Viking women used clothing and Jewelry to express social, political, and tribal belonging. The distribution of items like brooches and clasps can indicate regional tensions from the period. Rings with knotwork worn with armbands given in ceremony, amulets depicting gods and animals, neck rings known as torcs. Viking bracelets could be used as currency and were often given as tokens of loyalty. Viking Jewelry featured runic letter giving protection and special properties. In the broader medieval world social status was distinguished by materials, where lower classes wore base metals while royalty wore gold and gems. The medieval period saw a return to more symbolic and religious themes with an emphasis on enameling, mixed gemstones, and pearls. Cross themed pieces along with carved cameos and other religious motifs were popular reflecting the period’s Christian influence.
Renaissance
The Renaissance period in 15th and 16th centuries saw a revival of Classicism in gold Jewelry emphasizing simplicity, proportion, and clarity of structure influenced by the culture, art and literature of ancient Greece and Rome. Jewelry from this period is known for its elaborate workmanship that often had greater artistic than material value. Paintings from this era show the intricate decoration of women's hair with precious materials. The custom of wearing bejeweled clothing flourished, with rings, necklaces, and hat decorations becoming popular. The 17th century saw a gradual shift to Baroque styles displaying dramatic expression and bold ornamentation with complex forms with floral and vegetable motifs being fashionable. The Renaissance period marked a turning point in Jewelry design, with the revival of classical themes and an increased interest in intricate craftsmanship. Jewelry began to feature complex gemstone settings, enamel work, and detailed metalwork.
Baroque and Rococo
During the Baroque period, spanning roughly 150 years, various Jewry styles emerged, differing by period and region. Wealth from international trade, colonization, and piracy led to increased Jewelry production among the middle and upper classes. Despite the abundance of precious metals and diamonds from South America and India, many Jewelry items were melted down and reworked as fashions changed. The period saw the use of gold, silver, and diamonds, with designs influenced by mannerism, religious depictions, and horticultural styles. Popular items included pearl necklaces, French enamels, bow-knot designs, and elaborate girandoles fashioned like candelabra. The opulent Baroque and Rococo periods were characterized by intricate, heavily ornamented designs that often included large, colorful gemstones. These styles favored asymmetry and fluid, organic shapes.
Victorian Jewelry
Victorian jewelry originating in England during Queen Victoria's reign (1837-1901) was a symbol of identity and status. It included diverse styles categorized into three periods: Romantic, Grand, and Aesthetic. The Romantic period (1837-1861) featured natural motifs and materials like gold, seed pearls, and diamonds. Soft romantic colors, butterflies, and roses. The Grand period (1861-1885) saw bold designs and the rise of costume Jewelry influenced by women's changing social roles. The Aesthetic period (1885-1901) encouraged women's agency, with less Jewelry worn casually. Hair Jewelry, popularized by Queen Victoria, was used for mourning and as a fashion accessory. Mourning jewelry, often made of jet and black onyx, was worn during the mourning period, with personalized pieces commemorating the deceased. The Victorian era's jewelry production was marked by innovation and the use of new machinery brought about by the dawn of the industrial revolution with advances in engraving and casting.
Arts and Crafts Jewelry
The Arts & Crafts movement emerged as a reaction against industrialization emphasizing handmade over mass-produced jewelry. A rebellion against machinery creating inferior quality mass production and looking to revive the days of artisanal craftsmanship. Inspired by high-quality pieces, artisans sought to redefine beauty and create unique designs. The movement spread across Britain, Europe, and the US, with a significant turning point being the Great Exhibition of 1851. Key figures like William Morris and John Ruskin criticized industrialization for producing low-quality goods and romanticized medieval handicraft. Arts & Crafts jewelry was characterized by hand-crafted techniques, simple cabochon-cut stones, and inspiration from Northern Europe, Asia, and Celtic countries. Arts and crafts period Jewelry is coveted for its rarity and excellent quality.
Edwardian
Edwardian jewelry is known for its delicate, pretty, and well-crafted designs using valuable materials like platinum and diamonds. Hand-crafted Jewelry became fashionable again, drawing inspiration from the 18th century with motifs such as bows, garlands, ribbons, and lace. Platinum was preferred for its strength, allowing for lighter, intricate designs. Diamonds became widely available and affordable, while pearls were the real status symbol, valued more than diamonds. Popular styles included invisible settings and lace-like filigree. Mille grain, a technique using delicate balls and ridges, gave jewelry a softer look. Edwardian Jewelry featured sparkling diamond and pearl tiaras, bandeaus with feather Aigrettes, Colliers de Chien, long pearl chains, Lavaliere necklaces, ethereal bracelets, ornate rings, and delicate earrings. The era's Jewelry was marked by innovation and intricate craftsmanship.
Belle Epoque
The Belle Époque, or "The Beautiful Era," was a period in French and European history from 1871 to 1914, characterized by optimism, enlightenment, romanticism, regional peace, economic prosperity, conservatism, nationalism, colonial expansion, and technological, scientific, and cultural innovations. This era saw a flourishing of the arts, with numerous masterpieces in literature, music, theatre, and visual art gaining recognition. Belle Epoque included machine made and hand fabricated pieces. Design from this period was inspired by the preceding arts and crafts, Art Nouveau, and Edwardian Jewelry.
Art Nouveau
Art Nouveau, lasting from 1895 to the start of World War I in 1914, left a significant impact on Western art. It encompassed various genres, including painting, textile design, jewelry making, and architecture, all sharing an aesthetic of elaborately decorated, nature-inspired compositions. Influenced by the Arts and Crafts movement, Art Nouveau opposed mass production, favoring handcrafted designs. The movement was widespread across Europe and the United States, with regionally distinctive traits. Common materials included gold, enamel, diamonds, and opals. Art Nouveau was a short-lived but highly influential design movement that emphasized flowing, organic lines and a return to nature. Jewelry from this period often featured stylized depictions of flowers, insects, and female figures.
Art Deco
Art Deco Jewelry, emerging after World War I is known for its bold geometric designs and innovative techniques. The era, marked by hedonistic living and technological advancements, saw women’s fashion transform to reflect newfound freedom. Key innovations included the use of platinum, invisible settings by Van Cleef & Arpels, and new gem-cutting techniques. Synthetic materials like Bakelite and cultured pearls became popular. The style embraced modernism with clean lines and symmetry, influenced by global cultures, including the Egyptian Revival. Art Deco Jewelry featured long earrings, sautoir necklaces, geometric pendants, bold rings, and stacked bracelets, often using materials like lapis lazuli, turquoise, and agate. The movement also saw collaboration between various design arts, resulting in unique pieces that emphasized design over intrinsic value.
Modern Jewelry design
There is recurring theme of Design movements rebelling against mass production and inferior quality to assign higher value to artisanal workmanship and design. This circular movement of design inspiration through different cultures over time is amazing to observe, tracking the ebb and flow of design inspiration from the ancient lands across to the far east and back again. Artisans improving and refining designs according to their own experience is evidence of us as one humanity sharing one complex culture. Technology and machines have their place in this evolution with modern computer technology able to produce incredibly detailed and complex design forms. Designs like realistic animal forms in metal, large three-dimensional layered geometric designs, and intricate repeating patterns. Computers and the internet have largely automated all processes of Jewelry manufacture with designs drawn in CAD, printed in wax, and cast in their thousands. The job of the crafter is reduced to cleaning up the casting and setting gems. AI learning and machine automation is rapidly completing even these tasks with designs being printed directly out of metal and gems set by machine.
Technology and computing have a positive story also. The Hand-made Artisan side of the craft is experiencing a massive renaissance with the internet linking skilled artisans and keen students across the globe allowing designers to share designs, techniques, and rare skills freely. Accountants from Europe are making their own watches, warehouse workers are learning the art of Hand engraving, lovers of Gems are making their own handmade pieces. This is empowering people from all walks to pick up the tools and create some truly incredible work. The standard is high.