Granulation
Granulation is a process that causes very small gold beads to adhere to the surface metal, through heat, with no apparent solder. Granulation can be applied in designs or lines…
Granulation and its Techniques
Granulation (from Latin: granum = “grain”) is a goldsmith's technique whereby the surface of a jewel is decorated with small spheres of precious metal, named granules, according to a design pattern. The…
Earrings: Ancient to Avant-Garde
Earrings are much more than just decorative jewelry for the ear. Gods and goddesses, symbols, talismans and amulets have all been depicted in the designs fastened to or suspended from the ear…
Pettorossi, Ulderico Giuseppe
Ulderico Giuseppe Pettorossi is an Italian goldsmith specializing in reconstructing Etruscan pieces. The manufacturer finds his inspiration in the stylistic decorative elements that are typical of Etruscan art and each…
Grand Period: 1860-1885
Mid-Victorian women were competing with men for jobs as clerks, teachers, and factory inspectors and they were fighting to win the right to vote. Suddenly they had their own money,…
Ancient Jewelry
Up until 2015, the oldest known objects that were believed to have served a decorative purpose for the human body were approximately 110,000 years old. Drilled shell beads from this time (the…
Etruscan Jewelry
Although granulation, embossing, and filigree had been used in Mesopotamia and Egypt earlier, the Etruscans perfected the techniques to a very impressive level. The delicacy and technical precision were a complete novelty for…
American Jewelry: Part III
In a nostalgic wave created by the celebration of the country’s 50th anniversary, Americans began to take pride in previous generations and a mid-eighteenth century revival was born. In this…
Victorian Jewelry – Grand Period
Changes in fashion, the excavation of ancient Egyptian treasures, and the death of Prince Albert influenced jewelry styles during this period.Women are entering the workforce, and the suffragette movement begins.…
Necklaces: Ancient to Renaissance
Necklaces have existed ever since our ancestors began to walk upright. Our desire to adorn ourselves has been evident since ancient times with Paleolithic and Neolithic necklaces made from shells, bones,…
Castellani
Castellani was the Italian jeweler who initiated the archaeological revival movement in the mid-nineteenth century. Castellani’s founder, Fortunato Pio Castellani, opened up shop in Rome in 1814. In 1826, he met his…
Archaeological Revival
Archaeological revival refers to the neo-styles of the 18th and 19th centuries inspired by the excavations and discoveries of Roman, Egyptian, Hellenistic and Etruscan sites. The first revival came after…