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Edwardian jewelry is England’s extension of the Belle Epoque. Associated with the reign of King Edward VII (1901-1910), successor to Queen Victoria, Edwardian style thrived until WWI.
It’s no surprise that British estate dealers, like the couple behind Carus Jewellery, often have the best selection.
King Edward was a bon vivant who ruled during a period of peace, prosperity, and loads of new money. It was a time when daughters of American industrial titans married British aristocrats – think Downton Abbey, first season – and the fabulously wealthy competed to wear the most diamonds and pearls.
But there is a more accessible version of Edwardian jewels, a feminine style with more colored stone than diamond, more gold than platinum, and lots of lovely seed pearls. It’s delicate of scale with many of the classical motifs of Victorian jewelry – bows, hearts, scrolls, stars – while sometimes hinting at the nature themes and fluid lines of Art Nouveau
The best Edwardian pieces are beautifully made and perfect for layering. In other words, it’s a style that wears beautifully today.
That is the kind of Edwardian jewelry you’ll find at the Dublin-based Carus Jewellery. I pulled some of my favorites to give you a sense of their range.
When John and Elaine Hoyne opened their first shop in London in 2012, they’d been dealing in antique jewelry for more than 25 years. Their mission was to make quality antique jewelry more accessible, not only in-store but by making it easy for customers to order online, wherever they may be.
Edwardian is just one of the eras Carus Jewellery specializes in. You can also find a wonderful selection of Georgian, Victorian, Art Nouveau, Art Deco, and mid-century Modern.
When you’re in Dublin, be sure to visit the new Carus store. In the meantime, click their logo below to peruse their current treasures:
