The Victorian era lasted from 1837 to 1901 and got its name from the British monarch, Alexandrina Victoria, the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. Governing the country for over six decades, Queen Victoria set many trends and traditions, with exclusive jewelry production being one of them. Luxury Victorian jewelry is vibrant and diverse, able to satisfy the sophisticated taste of any demanding jewelry connoisseur.
The Romantic period of high-end Victorian jewelry lasted from 1837 to 1861. The early-period Victorian jewelry pieces were performed with natural motifs, featuring clear stones for the daytime and colored stones for night occasions. The first custom-made ring of the Victorian period was Victoria’s engagement ring – a perfect specimen of the best Victorian jewelry tradition. It featured a snake with emerald eyes eating her own tail, which stood for the symbol of eternal love. Such an unusual design soon spurred the public interest in the snake motif in jewelry and resulted in the production of unique designer necklaces, rings, pins, and other jewelry items with snakes. Since the period coincided with the first fruits of the Industrial Revolution and the rise of the middle class, jewelry was made of gold and silver, thus becoming more universally affordable.
The Mourning Period of the Victorian era started in 1861, as soon as Queen Victoria’s husband died. The sentiment of mourning and loss affected the jewelry motifs as well, with this period featuring large, dramatic luxury Victorian jewelry employing black onyx, amethyst, garnet, and gold.
The late Victorian epoch is often referred to as an aesthetic period in exclusive jewelry production. It started in the 1880s and brought a fundamental change to jewelry masters’ approach. Dark, opulent onyx and amethyst fell out of favor, and the period witnessed a revival of interest to sapphire, ruby, zircon, and diamonds.
Luxury Victorian jewelry has many admirers around the world, and Rafka gives a unique opportunity for any connoisseur of exclusive Victorian jewelry to add a signature jewelry piece to their collection. With over 50 years of experience in the production of uniquely designed jewelry, Rafka has captured the spell of the Victorian epoch. He creates exquisite items, be it luxury diamond necklaces or opulent onyx earrings, in compliance with the best Victorian tradition of jewelry making. Get your ideal, one-of-a-kind jewelry piece from the NY-based high-end diamond jeweler to make a status and style statement. Your unique designer rings, earrings, necklaces, or brooches will never have analogs or duplicates as by ordering a jewelry masterpiece from Rafka, you become a happy owner of a one-off treasure.
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