The Victorian era is a highly popular one for antique jewelry collectors. Ornate gemstone jewelry, cameos, and shapes like hearts and flowers were highly popular. Serpents were another surprising motif, as they were considered good luck and a favorite of Queen Victoria. Diamonds became more accessible due to the discovery of plentiful mines, so more and more Victorians wore diamond jewelry. Onyx and jet were popular as well, and were often worn as mourning pieces.

This period emerged in Paris during the last years of the reign of Queen Victoria. This era of jewelry making focused more on the style and form of a piece rather than the materials the jewelry was made from. Some popular materials included horn, bone, shell, ivory and glass. Semi-precious stones were popular as well, as were enamel and styles like cloisonne. Asian theme jewelry was popular also. You will even find opal and moonstone featured in jewelry from this time period.

It's likely that anything crafted after the Art Nouveau period would not be classified as antique jewelry, but vintage jewelry, depending on who you ask. When shopping for antique pieces, a good place to start is at estate sales. Auctions are also often great places to find antique jewelry from many different time periods. You may want to do some research before shopping, so you'll know what to look for and what denotes a piece as authentic.

Jewelry News:

Madonna's Giving All Her Luvin' To Crucifix Jewelry Again (PHOTOS) - Idolator: All About The Music

Madonna's Giving All Her Luvin' To Crucifix Jewelry Again (PHOTOS)
Idolator: All About The Music
We couldn't help but notice that Madonna is working a giant crucifix in her "Give Me All Your Luvin'" music video EUR” no matter how many masked cheerleaders she tried to distract us with. Has Madge rekindled her love affair with the religious accessory .

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Charmed at Juicy: Juicy Couture showcases D.I.Y. jewelry - Examiner.com

Charmed at Juicy: Juicy Couture showcases D.I.Y. jewelry
Examiner.com
The EURœCouture YourselfEUR event featured Juicy's new jewelry collection (launched January 1, 2012), cocktails, and a look into the future with renowned astrologer Susan Miller. The new DIY Charm Collection, EURœMade by Us, Styled by You,EUR encourages .

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Roses, chocolate, jewelry not as meaningful as simple gestures - Kansas State Collegian

Roses, chocolate, jewelry not as meaningful as simple gestures
Kansas State Collegian
You can tell him or her exactly why you fell in love without the roses, jewelry or chocolate, and you might find that simple, heartfelt gestures are often more meaningful and romantic, especially when they're not over-the-top extravagant and mushy.

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Melrose Jewelers Announces the Last Few Days of its Valentine's Day Rolex . - San Francisco Chronicle (press release)

Melrose Jewelers Announces the Last Few Days of its Valentine's Day Rolex .
San Francisco Chronicle (press release)
Taking it into consideration, Melrose Jewelers has launched the Valentine's Day sale on its line of Rolex wristwatches. The sale items include the store's top-selling watches to make the romantic season a bit more special. People are busy looking out .

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Christie's Jewelry Sales +41% - Rapaport

Christie's Jewelry Sales +41%
Rapaport
The auction house reports results in pounds so it recorded a jewelry sales increase of 35 percent, but by dollar value that figure rose 41 percent year on year to $600.1 million. Watch sales jumped 21 percent to $116 million, exceeding the $100 million .

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Exclusive Diamond Jeweler Announces Site Update - Houston Chronicle

Exclusive Diamond Jeweler Announces Site Update
Houston Chronicle
The popular custom diamond jeweler, Diamond Cutters Intl., has announced an update to their online website which features resources on how to buy a diamond for the general public. The new updates are intended to further their position as the leading .

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Police Blotter: Stolen Jewelry and Sunglasses; Illegally Tinted Windows - Patch.com

Police Blotter: Stolen Jewelry and Sunglasses; Illegally Tinted Windows
Patch.com
A 53-year-old woman faces criminal charges for allegedly stealing jewelry and sunglasses from Sears. Rachell Dwyer, of Mohegan Lake, was arrested on Feb. 1 when police were summoned by Sears security personnel in Yorktown, reporting that the woman had .