Say YES to Wednesday: Antique Wedding Day Earrings

It should come as no surprise that we love the idea of antique earrings as part of a bride's wedding day trousseau. Earrings made a century ago sparkle just as brightly today, and are a rather elegant way to take care of that pesky "something old" category. 

For the cosmopolitan bride:

This sophisticated pair of diamond and sapphire dangles are quintessentially Art Deco in their design; a perfect match for the city skyline visible from a swanky rooftop reception. 

For the classic bride:

Pair of 1.30ct J/VS2 old mine cut diamonds in rosey 18k yellow gold settings. c. 1900. 

This timeless pair of earrings features exceptionally fine old mine cut diamonds sparkling from understated rosey gold baskets. These beautiful jewels haven't gone out of style since they were first fabricated c. 1900, and will most certainly be taken out of the jewelry box for many occasions long after the wedding day is over. 

For the romantic bride:

18k yellow gold, platinum, pearl and diamond blossom earrings, c. 1910.

For the bride whose ideal nuptials take place in a secret garden, we recommend these dainty blossoms crafted of rose cut diamonds and pearls. 

Three different styles for three different brides - which pair speaks to you?

Georgian Torpedo Earrings

Right now in the shop we have a great pair of Georgian "torpedo" earrings. These elongated gold drop earrings were popular in the 1820s and 30s, and often decorated with intricate cannetille wirework. 

Georgian "torpedo" earrings in 15k yellow gold with cannetille rosettes and fluted dangles. c. 1830. Available for sale at Gray & Davis.

Here are a few portraits that illustrate how torpedo earrings would have been worn back in the nineteenth-century:

"Young Brunette Woman," oil on canvas, British School 1830s. Offered by Hillcrest Collections via 1st dibs. 

Senora Manuela Suarez Lastra de Garmendia (1800 - 1875) by Pellegrini. Quite a name and quite a hairdo!

Maria Teresa of Savoy, Duchess of Parma (1803 - 1879)

Museum Monday: Jet Jewelry

Jet has its beginnings in the Jurassic period, and is the fossilized wood of pine forests that died out about 175 million years ago. It is an organic gem, like pearls or amber, and is black, lightweight, and easily carved into sculptural pieces. Jet has been mined and used as jewelry in the British Isles since the earliest of times. 

Whitby jet beads found at a burial in Killy Kiaran, Scotland. c. 2050 - 1800 BCE. National Museums, Scotland. 

The material was especially popular during the Victorian era, and was an integral part of the costume and pomp of nineteenth-century ladies’ mourning attire. 

Carved jet bracelet, English c. 1870. Victoria & Albert Museum, London.  

We had some Victorian jet beads hiding in the Gray & Davis safe, so we decided to add some simple 14 karat gold hooks and turn them into earrings. 

Antique jet beads on 14k yellow gold hooks. Available for sale at Gray & Davis. 

At it turns out, there is a very similar pair in the collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art which dates c. 1880:

Metropolitan Museum of Art 

How neat!

Victorian Beetle Earrings

During the latter half of the nineteenth-century, the publication of Darwin’s Origin of Species coupled with massive urbanization resulted in a popular fascination with the natural world. One of the more weird and wonderful ways this fascination manifested was as a fad for jewelry created from the iridescent green shells of Brazilian tortoise beetles. The little jewel-toned bugs were incorporated into everything from hatpins to bracelets, and c. 1884 the Countess Granville even had an entire suite crafted of beetles:

Gold & Beetle Parure by Phillips of Cockspur Street, London. C. 1884. 

We recently acquired our own pair of Victorian beetle earrings set in 14k gold, which are a bit more subtle than the countess’s tiara:

Both a charming accessory and excellent conversation starter, these earrings would be a truly special addition to any collector’s jewel box.