Blog News

  Although the tradition of wearing 'mourning' jewelry dates to least the memento mori accessories of the Middle Ages, the period most associated with the aesthetic is the Grand Era (c.1861-c.1881) of Queen Victoria's reign (c.1837-1901). The Grand Era began when Queen Victoria's husband, Prince Albert, died of typhoid fever. She went into deep mourning and wore long black crepe dresses and mostly black mourning jewelry for the remainder of her life. Queen Victoria was an admired iconic figure, and her style choices influenced a fashionable jewelry trend. Mourning jewelry emphasized sentimental mementos that memorialized departed loved ones. Natural minerals such as...

Far from a newer trend, the choker has gone by many names and purposes for centuries. Women in ancient Sumer-Mesopotamia and Egypt empires layered chokers with other necklaces for protection and power. During the French Revolution in 1798, ribbons were worn around the necks to honor those killed by the guillotine. Anne Boleyn, King Henry VII of England's second wife, was famously portrayed in a painting wearing a pearl strand choker-like necklace with the letter 'B' pendant around her neck. It is a mystery concerning what exactly happened to Boleyn's iconic chain. Many speculate that it was either passed down to her...

Antique jewelry courtesy of the Zanathia Jewelry Collection The historical significance and events connected with antique jewelry are critical to its preservation value. While analyzing the intriguing jewelry trends of the 19th century, the craftsmanship and intricate details are unparalleled and of high quality. The era was also a time of fascinating events and innovative ideas. Historically, preserving these collectibles is essential and pertinent because the jewelry is at least a century old, and many original pieces are becoming increasingly rare. Many authentic antique jewelry collectibles were not correctly preserved, destroyed with time, or damaged. These jewelry collectibles tell diverse stories and are...

When I first began curating antique jewelry, sometimes it would be challenging to authenticate antique period-era items from reproduction styles. There is nothing wrong with replica styles and paying homage to original pieces, but collectors like myself are in love with actual memory-filled historic jewelry from the past. Authentic vintage jewelry styles are often inspired by earlier times, such as the Victorian-Revival era of the 1970s and '80s. These Victorian-Revival era pieces are at least 30-40 years old and were designed to resemble jewelry from the original Victorian era (c.1837-1901). As the years and generations go by, older accessories are...

Turquoise jewelry courtesy of the Zanathia Jewelry Collection Turquoise, a mineral created from copper and aluminum over 30 million years ago, is one of southwestern jewelry's most commonly used natural stones. It is believed that turquoise was first mined and used in North America around 200 B.C. In North America, turquoise can be found in historic active mines such as the Kingman Turquoise mine and the Morenci Turquoise mine in Arizona. Ancient tribes also mined their turquoise in the Cerrillos and Burro Mountains of New Mexico. Some ancient tribes that used turquoise were the Hohokam and Anasazi people. Archaeologists have discovered...