Antique Jewelry
Antique jewellery spans centuries of personal adornment and containment, offering rings, pendants, and boxes crafted from precious metals and gemstones.
Antique Jewelry
Antique jewellery encompasses wearable personal items like diamond dress rings, gold chain necklaces, and gemstone pendants alongside related receptacles such as silver trinket boxes and Japanese lacquer containers.
The pieces encountered on this page derive from periods spanning the nineteenth century through the mid-twentieth century, including Victorian, Edwardian, Art Deco, and mid-century eras.
Wearers find items ranging from diamond cluster daisy rings and sapphire platinum settings to 9ct gold love knot chain bracelets and sterling silver floral earrings.
Materials and construction
Goldsmiths and silversmiths utilised 9ct, 15ct, and 18ct yellow and white gold, platinum, and sterling silver to fabricate structural mounts, chains, and settings.
Lapidaries set diamonds, sapphires, peridots, amethysts, opals, and seed pearls into claw, bezel, and navette cluster arrangements.
Cabinetmakers and metalworkers constructed boxes and caskets from mahogany, oak, brass, and gilt lacquer, incorporating marquetry and hand-carved details.
Antique Jewelry Retail Price Guide 2026
Typical asking prices for jewelry among the pieces listed under this phrase on Sellingantiques today, from the lower quarter to the upper quarter. They describe what is for sale here now, not the wider market.
Several boxes depict miniature family scenes in silver, including a mother and child.
Standards of craftsmanship
Superior items display precise stone-setting, well-matched diamond cuts, and robust linkages in chains and bracelets that withstand daily wear.
The fineness of hand-carved woodwork on boxes and the structural integrity of gold clasps distinguish master production from standard commercial output.
Mappin and Webb
The Antique Jewelry Glossary
- Albert chain
- A heavy watch chain designed to be worn across a waistcoat or fastened as a necklace, often fitted with a T-bar or dog clip.
- Navette
- A boat-shaped gemstone setting or cluster that tapers to sharp points at either end, popular in Edwardian and Art Deco designs.
- Trinket box
- A small decorative receptacle lined for storing rings, brooches, and other small personal valuables.
- Old cut
- A diamond facet arrangement predating modern brilliant cuts, characterised by a smaller table and higher crown designed to sparkle under candlelight.
Antique Jewelry: Frequently Asked Questions
What periods do these pieces date from?
The selections date across the Victorian, Edwardian, Art Deco, and mid-century periods, alongside nineteenth-century items.
These eras encompass styles from heavy gold chains to platinum diamond rings.
How were antique gold chains worn?
Chains such as Albert chains were originally secured to pocket watches using dog clips and T-bars.
Today, many owners wear these pieces directly as necklaces or bracelets.
What gemstones appear most often?
Diamonds, sapphires, peridots, amethysts, opals, and seed pearls feature predominantly in rings, pendants, and earrings.
These stones appear in yellow gold, white gold, and platinum settings.
What is a trinket box used for?
Trinket boxes and caskets provide desktop or dressing table storage for small personal valuables.
Examples range from sterling silver boxes to Japanese lacquer and mahogany containers.