Edwardian Jewellery Drop
These edwardian jewellery drop selections span delicate pendants, lavaliers and swinging earrings set with gemstones.
Edwardian Jewellery Drop
When you search for edwardian jewellery drop, you examine items spanning the Edwardian period alongside Victorian, Art Nouveau, Art Deco, and 1920s examples. The selections encompass necklaces, earrings, pendants, and rings carrying suspended stones.
Pendants, lavaliers and drop earrings dominate the forms on this page, often utilising articulated settings that permit movement. These pieces originate from the early twentieth century alongside adjacent nineteenth and twentieth-century decades.
Materials and Technique
Maker construction relies heavily upon 9ct gold, 15ct gold, 18ct gold, silver, and platinum to house a variety of gems. Stones include amethyst, peridot, aquamarine, tourmaline, turquoise, citrine, sapphires, diamonds, and seed pearls.
Techniques combine traditional casting and wirework with intricate stone setting, allowing pearls and coloured gems to dangle from chains and mounts.
Listings feature 9ct gold, 15ct gold, and silver alongside stones like amethyst, turquoise, and seed pearls across the Edwardian and Art Deco periods.
Quality and Execution
Distinction across pieces rests on the weight and purity of the gold, the selection of natural gemstones, and the finesse of the metalwork. Higher tiers demonstrate balanced proportions and secure setting of small pearls or diamonds.
Artistry shows in the subtlety of the drop mechanism and the integration of stylistic elements from Arts & Crafts or Art Nouveau vocabularies.
Deakin & Francis
The Edwardian Jewellery Drop Glossary
- Lavalier
- A pendant featuring a stone suspended below a main decorative drop. This form gained popularity during the Edwardian era.
- Seed Pearl
- Very small natural or cultured pearls used to accent gemstone clusters and borders. They require careful drilling and securing.
- Negligee Necklace
- A necklace style featuring two asymmetrical drops suspended from a central motif or chain. These pieces often incorporate seed pearls and coloured stones.
- Paste
- Hand-cut glass utilised as a gemstone substitute in antique jewellery. It allows for bright colour and sparkle in period settings.
Edwardian Jewellery Drop: Frequently Asked Questions
What is an edwardian jewellery drop?
An edwardian jewellery drop refers to items from the early twentieth century featuring suspended elements like gemstones, pearls or pendants.
These include earrings, necklaces and lavaliers designed to move with the wearer.
How do I wear a lavalier pendant?
A lavalier hangs from a fine chain, resting below the collarbone to display its dangling central stone or drop.
Pair these necklaces with period-appropriate necklines to let the articulated drop move freely.
What metals were used in these pieces?
Maker workshops utilised 9ct, 15ct and 18ct gold, alongside silver and platinum.
Rose gold and yellow gold are particularly common in pieces from the Edwardian and Victorian eras.
How can I tell Edwardian from Art Deco?
Edwardian items favour flowing garland motifs, seed pearls, and softer coloured stones like peridot and aquamarine set in yellow gold or platinum.
Art Deco shifts towards geometric lines, white gold, and vivid stones such as sapphires and citrine.