Blog
When an occasion arises where one must appear mysterious & intriguing (and we all have these moments), there's nothing quite like the elegant blackness of jet and onyx jewels to get the point across:
Antique onyx intaglio set in yellow gold ring, featuring a miniature scene of Poseidon.
Extra-long Victorian drop earrings of carved jet with saw-tooth gold caps.
Art Deco earrings of polished onyx with platinum & diamond embellishment.
Victorian collar of carved jet beads.
Gate bracelets--link bracelets with a heart-shaped padlock closure--were a popular gift around the turn of the twentieth century.
English gate bracelet in 9k yellow gold, c. 1900. Currently available at Gray & Davis.
Traditionally, a gentleman would place the bracelet on the wrist of his paramour and lock the clasp with a matching key, thus ensuring that he was the only one able to open the "gate" to his lady love's heart.
The clasp on our gate bracelet functions quite well without it's key, so whoever wears it is able to to open and close their heart's gate according to their own free will.
In the Victorian era, orange blossoms were worn by fashionable brides as symbols of innocence and fertility.
Artificial orange blossoms worn by Henrietta Woodcock at her wedding in 1848. Victoria & Albert Museum.
Perhaps the most famous bride to opt for orange blossoms was Queen Victoria herself, who wore a wreath of them in her hair at her 1840 wedding.
The Queen's husband noticed Victoria's affinity for orange blossoms, and gifted her jewels of porcelain, enamel and gold that were beautiful representations of the real thing.
Suite of porcelain, enamel and gold orange blossom jewelry. Gifted to Queen Victoria by Prince Albert between 1839 and 1846.
The fashion for faux orange blossoms faded by the twentieth century, but the sentiment behind the buds had become wedding tradition. If you look closely at Art Deco bridal jewels, you are likely to come across tiny orange blossoms incorporated into the design:
All of these pieces date to the 1920s and 1930s, and though the orange blossom motif is very subtle, the sentiment remains the same.
A beautiful .53 carat I/SI1 old European cut diamond is set in a charming mount that features buttercup prongs and an Egyptian lotus motif on the shoulders. Worn hallmarks tell us this ring was fabricated in England, most likely in the late 19th century.
Currently available at Gray & Davis.
Would you say yes?
Some of the most adorable items we come across in our antique jewelry searches have to be Victorian baby rings.
Back before things like choking hazards were really worried about, parents would dress up their infants and toddlers in miniature jewels made specifically for children.
A brief foray into the world of Mom Blogs told us that today public opinion is generally against putting rings on babies, but that’s ok because it means us adults can coopt these baby rings for our own purposes.
Here are our three favorite ways to incorporate antique baby rings into your grown-up jewelry box:
1. Midi-rings!
Many of these baby rings are just the right size to be worn as midi, or “first knuckle” rings. An old ring that perfectly fits a new trend!
2. Charm-ing Pendants!
This lovely gift idea speaks for itself.
3. Wallet-Friendly Engagement Rings!
We are big proponents of sticking to a price point that’s comfortable when buying an engagement ring, because getting engaged should be something that is 100% fun and wonderful and 0% stressful. Since antique baby rings are made with small gems and/or amounts metal, they tend to be super affordable! Of course, we can always size them up to fit your grown up finger.
Gray & Davis carries a unique selection of antique & vintage engagement rings and collector's jewelry from the Georgian, Victorian, Edwardian, Art Nouveau and Art Deco eras. We are also available for custom work and repairs.
Gray & Davis | 234 West 13th Street, New York, NY, 10011, United States