How to Learn About Jewelry

Hello and Welcome to Pendant and Ring! This is the first installment in a new series called:

Jewelry 101.

There are a lot of class websites out there, and we could have put this and the subsequent articles on one of those websites, but our aim with this series is to help you learn.

We have many jewelry articles on pendantandring.com, and one of the most popular is How to Layer Chains – For Him. That article and several DMs with jewelry questions gave us the idea to make this series.

Although the topic of jewelry is expansive we break it down into easily digestible sections with a pop quiz at the end of each article so you can track your understanding.

In the first Jewelry 101 article we cover some of the styles of jewelry made in the past 100 years.

How to start learning about jewelry.

When a curious piece of jewelry comes into your possession take some time to examine it. Look closely for any hallmarks. These can be numbers, words, letters, or symbols.

We have an article in the archives titled How to Read Jewelry Hallmarks, and it covers the identifying marks for silver, gold, and platinum content.

In addition to the numbers you can read about in that article, other marks on your jewelry can help you learn about your jewelry’s origins. You can Google these hallmarks to learn about your jewelry.

Now, look at your jewelry’s construction. Is the piece made of heavy components or finer components? Are the shapes of the components more rounded or more squared? Are there few, or many, additional details adorning the pieces? Is the jewelry symmetrical or asymmetrical?

These questions can help determine the time frame when your item was most like created.

Jewelry is art. The arts have been divided into eras so art lovers can talk about what they like (or don’t like) with one another. This language of eras can help you identify your jewelry.

When discussing the timeline of eras, in history, art, or design, the edges can blur as one design style leads to another. The following era list includes dates, but these dates are not hard and fast. These dates are suggestions. After each era is a brief description of the style.

• Post-Impressionism (1885–1910) – focused, singular, statement
• Art Nouveau (1890–1910) – curving, nature-inspired, busy
• Fauvism (1900-1935) – bold, bright, big
• Expressionism (1905–1920) – asymmetry, imperfection, authenticity
• Cubism (1907–1914) – fragmented, geometric, representative
• Surrealism (1916–1950) – surprising, imaginative, colorful
• Art Deco (1919-1939) – urban, sleek, contrasting
• Abstract Expressionism (1940s–1950s) – emotive, evocative, subjective
• Mid-Century Modern (1940s- 1950s) – understated, clean, simple
• Optic Art (1950s–1960s) – illusory, vibrant, contrasting
• Brutalism (1950s-1960s) – heavy, geometric, functional
• Pop Art (1950s–1960s) – mod, false color, comic
• Minimalism (1960s–1970s) – simple, elegant, singular
• Postmodern (1970s-1990s) – humorous, remixed, irreverent
• Street Art (1980s-2000s) – glowing, cryptic, colorful

In the next section, the eras are relisted with a brief jewelry example.

• Post-Impressionism – solitaire engagement ring
• Art Nouveau – diamond, sapphire, and pearl, female figure brooch
• Fauvism – 1-carat, emerald cut, ruby pendant on an opera-length gold snake chain
• Expressionism – pear cluster ring with natural bloodstone and small rough diamond
• Cubism – squared musical notation rendered in gold with diamond baguettes pin
• Surrealism – dripping natural sea pearls at uneven intervals on a webbed gold chain
• Art Deco – onyx signet ring
• Abstract Expressionism – designed by your child and rendered by your jeweler
• Mid-Century Modern – single coin pendant in a simple bezel on a smooth chain
• Optic Art – enamel circle pendant with B&W concentric rings and flecks of gold
• Brutalism – large central cat’s eye pendant with random-set peridot clusters surrounding
• Pop Art – ring pop design remade in sterling silver with real gem
• Minimalism – gold wedding band
• Postmodern – Robert Indiana’s LOVE sculpture rendered as a ring
• Street Art – black and neon-color enameled gold name in artistic font pendant

When you examine the construction of your vintage jewelry you can refer to the list above to get an idea of what style it has. Knowing the style can help you determine when the piece was designed and made.

Time for the pop quiz. ✅✅✅

1.) A wide, gold, ring band with one large, flat stone set in a cup that is flush with the top of the gold is an example of the

• Art Nouveau era.
• Art Deco era.
• Street Art era.

2.) A bright orange pair of enamel bananas, on Sterling silver French hooks are earring examples of the

• Fauvism era.
• Optic Art era.
• Pop Art era.

3.) A large, silver, mirror finish, 1955-proof coin in a heavy gold bezel on a thick gold Figaro chain is an example of the

• Expressionism era.
• Brutalism era.
• Minimalism era.

Answers:  ˙ɐɹǝ ɯsılɐʇnɹᙠ (˙Ɛ  ˙ɐɹǝ ʇɹ∀ doԀ (˙ᄅ  ˙ɐɹǝ oɔǝᗡ ʇɹ∀ (˙⇂

Let us know how you did, and tell us what you would like to cover in this series in the comments below!

Read more in the Jewelry 101 Series!

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