THE EDWARDIAN PERIOD

The Edwardian period officially began in 1901 when Edward, son of Victoria, ascended to the British throne. In France, this era was known as La Belle Epoque. Elegance and fashion were the predominant values of the day, and the jewelry reflected this beautifully. Edwardian jewelry is feminine and lacy with delicate filigree patterns in monochromatic color schemes. Diamonds and pearls were the favored gemstones of the day, and advances in metal-working gave way to widespread use of platinum in jewelry. With new capabilities at their disposal, the jewelers of the period gave new creative expression to the bows, ribbons and garlands of Victorian jewelry. New jewelry forms such as the dog collar and the sautoir became popular.