Antique Crystal Ball Lockets

Bubble lockets, pools of light, crystal balls – whatever you choose to call them, these charming rock crystal pendants enchant the eye and capture the imagination. 

Left: Vintage rock crystal locket with silver bezel on Art Deco steel chain. Right: 19th century rock crystal locket with 18k yellow gold floral bezel on 10k antique watch chain. Lockets and chains sold separately, all available at Gray & Davis.. 

Popular from the Victorian era through the 1930s, many of these crystal orbs are hinged and open to reveal secret compartments. Photographs, pressed flowers and even maps are commonly placed inside and magnified through the convex lens.

According to the famed gemologist G.F. Kunz, ancient Mexican peoples believed that “the souls of both living and dead people dwell in crystal.” After becoming entranced by a 100 year old portrait enclosed in one of our crystal lockets, I’m inclined to agree. 

Georgian Brooch Re-Envisioned

Started life as a happy brooch....

Sadly, this brooch came to us broken. It would have been possible to fuse this piece back together but after restoration it would have been unable to withstand the everyday pressures of brooch-hood. 

With a little inspiration, we gave new life to our fragmented Georgian brooch. 

Antique Watch Fobs

We love wearing antique watch fobs as pendants, and right now at Gray & Davis we have a nice little collection of gold fobs set with hardstone seals. 

Four nineteenth-century watch fobs, from left to right: Reversible sardonyx cameo in 14k gold, carnelian seal intaglio in 10k gold, carnelian and bloodstone swivel-fob in 10k gold, carnelian and bloodstone swivel-fob in 9k gold. All available for sale at Gray & Davis.

Prior to the popularization of the wrist watch during WWI, pocket watches were a necessary accessory (both in terms of fashion and function) for gentlemen of a certain social standing. Stylish gents would decorate their watch chains with all sorts of fun charms which were called fobs, after the name of the small pocket where a watch was stored. 

A man and his watch fob, c. 1900. 

A Brief History of Christmas Dinner

What's on your holiday dinner table? Be it seven fishes or seven cartons of Chinese takeout, it's surely steeped in tradition. Several classic Christmas recipes (roast beast anyone?) began appearing a few centuries ago and were made around the same time as our antique jewelry. 

So, put on your favorite gems and pour yourself a glass of egg nog (enjoyed since the Middle Ages)! It's party time.

A Georgian holiday table might feature marrow bones, mince pies, roast pig and fowl and some sort of baked fruit dessert. We now consider this dinner a bit rustic, but most holiday dinner staples such as a roast turkey and pie date to this era, if not before. 

Georgian Enamel, pearl and rose cut diamond ring, at Gray & Davis.

A Georgian holiday party, c.1808

A Georgian five diamond ring in silver and 18k yellow gold, at Gray & Davis.

Victorian literature gives us a taste of what could be found for a 19th century holiday table. Christmas dinner was meant to be the finest meal of the year. Roast poultry, oyster stuffing, and plum pudding were staples. It is said that Prince Albert's sweet tooth is the reason for pudding's place at the royal feast and, subsequently, at almost every English Christmas meal. Just as several jewelry trends were swayed by Victoria's tastes, so too was the preference for rich dessert encouraged by Albert. 

Victorian Christmas party, c.1873

Victorian watch fob and nested snake ring, available at Gray & Davis. Diamond snake ring is available in our online shop. 

Edwardian opulence called for massive Christmas trees, over the top decorations and a holiday feast to match. In wealthy homes, classic dishes such as roast pork and ham would have been preceded by champagne, quail eggs and caviar. Delicate soups replaced heartier stews of yore as French cooking became the global standard for excellence (partially thanks to Edward VII, for whom the Edwardian era is named!) 

An Edwardian dinner party, bathed in candlelight.

Edwardian paste dangle earrings, silver on 14k gold, available in our online shop. 

The Art Deco period coincided with the American prohibition of alcohol sale and consumption, though we know this stopped few from enjoying a tasty tipple. Cocktails such as the French 75, whose recipe was published in 1930 and features a festive champagne float, and the Bee's Knees, meant to take the edge of bathtub gin with soothing lemon and honey, are still being mixed in restaurants today. And, they are perfect for holiday festivities. 

An Art Deco era holiday party. 

A fabulous stack of Art Deco eternity bands, available at Gray & Davis, and in our online shop. 

Aggrandizing Agate: Hardstones Demystified

People have been using hardstones in jewelry since forever, so lots of different names have developed for the same thing. The distinctions between different varieties of hardstones (the science name is chalcedony) are somewhat arbitrary, and are for the most part based purely on visual distinctions, not any actual difference of the mineral’s composition.

Victorian 15k gold and agate seal ring, at Gray & Davis

Early 20th c. 14k gold, blue chalcedony and diamond cluster ring, at G & D

Victorian 18k gold and moss agate dangle earrings, at G & D

Victorian 10k gold, bloodstone and carnelian fob, at G & D

Victorian 10k gold, diamond and onyx ring, at G & D

Arts and Crafts 14k gold and carnelian ring with enamel, at G & D

Because we are nerds, we made this flow-chart to help explain how the tangled terminology fits together:

The Victorian "Remember" seal ring, in 15k gold, also has a fun surprise, which we captured on video!