Unmentionables

The Edwardian era (circa 1901 – 1920) was essentially an extension of the 19th century as far as style was concerned. It was a light-hearted time full of fine jewelry that continued on until the outbreak of the first World War. As mentioned in previous posts, a defining characteristic in this great jewelry was the use of platinum because for the first time it allowed jewelers to create the delicate, lace-like designs that Edwardian jewelry is known for.

We recently purchased this lovely negligé necklace made with platinum, diamonds and pearls. A negligé necklace is defined by its central surmount and two drops of different lengths. In this case, the surmount is a bow with a diamond in the center, the longer pendant is a pearl drop and the shorter another diamond. Pearls were extremely costly during this era, and only the very wealthy could afford them, meaning that the original owner of this piece would certainly have belonged to the upper echelon of society.

The clothing that was en vogue during the Edwardian era was dainty and full of lace and ribbons, so it is no surprise that these themes translated into the jewelry. Even the name “negligé” is taken from the delicate nightgown, which was popular at the time. This charming necklace has the ribbons that the period was known for as well as a dainty, almost fragile feeling.  At CIRCA we always appreciate these lovely necklaces, especially when they are in wonderful shape like the one pictured here. Print this post