Victoria was crowned Queen of the United Kingdom in 1837 at eighteen years old, inheriting the throne after the death of her uncle. The following decades would see enormous transformation in Europe and all over the globe, and the world Victoria left in 1901 was very different from the one she was born into. Because of the length and scope of her reign, when it comes to jewelry, the Victorian era is divided into three sub-periods: the Romantic (1837-1861), the Grand (1860-1880), and the Aesthetic (1881-1901).

Queen Victoria & Prince Albert, 1843.

The Romantic period began with the beloved young queen’s courtship with Prince Albert, whom she married in 1840. Victoria was enamored with Albert, and the UK, awash with romance, embraced feminine, sentimental jewelry. The queen’s engagement ring featured a gold serpent set with her birthstone, an emerald. Snakes were a popular symbol of everlasting love and one of many sentimental motifs at the time, along with hearts and love knots decorated pendants, rings, and brooches.

Acrostic jewelry became a fashionable way for lovers to signify their relationships – in this style, the initials of each gemstone in a piece spell out a romantic word, such as “dearest” (Diamond, Emerald, Amethyst, Ruby, Emerald, Sapphire, Turquoise). Another unique trend was jewelry created out of human hair. Victoria was a fan of the style, and a life-size portrait of her made entirely from human hair was displayed at the 1855 World’s Fair in Paris.

Daguerreotype of Woman, 1858.

At the beginning of the period, jewelry was all handmade. Throughout the century, many technological advances were made, changing the way jewelry was produced and the way it was consumed. Electroplating, a process of coating base metals with precious metals, was invented in 1842, and gold plating became common.

The Industrial Revolution created many jobs, leading to a growing middle class, and the increase of mass production meant jewelry was becoming more affordable. Women surpassed men as the primary wearers of jewelry, and they wore a lot of it. These factors led not just to an enormous volume of jewelry being created but to a diversity of styles and materials never before seen.

Seed pearl parure, Tiffany & Co., 1850s sold at Sotheby’s.

Jewelers practiced repoussé, hammering malleable metals into designs and cannetille – crafting wire into intricate shapes. Popular gems included agate, amethyst, diamond, emerald, garnet, malachite, quartz, topaz, and turquoise, often in rose, old mine, and cabochon cuts. Tiny seed pearls were woven into floral clusters.

Portrait of a young Queen Victoria by Edmund Thomas Parris.

Large brooches were paired with matching bracelets. Girandoles – drop cluster earrings – gained favor as hair trends shifted from bonnets and ear-covering twists to styles that left earlobes exposed. Many women wore ferroniéres – simple chains around the head with a gem dangling in the middle of the forehead. In lieu of purses, women wore chatelaines, belt-like chains which suspended tools and belongings from their waists.

The Romantic period saw a surge in Middle-Age nostalgia and a revival of Renaissance styles. Archaeological expeditions sparked interest in ancient cultures, and styles featuring Roman-influenced micromosaics, lava rock from Pompeii, and coral were popular souvenir items. After Queen Victoria and Prince Albert purchased their Balmoral estate in Scotland, Victoria began to favor the multi-colored agate jewelry made in the region, leading to a surge in its popularity. She also adored cameos, which saw a resurgence in popularity as well.

The Romantic era ended in 1861 with the premature death of Prince Albert. A trend-setting queen and her nation went into mourning, and as cultural priorities shifted, so did jewelry styles. In the next article, we’ll explore the jewelry of the Grand Era.