Suzanne Martinez, co-owner of Lang Antiques, highlights the key features of the era’s innovations and influences.
After the dark, broody style of the Victorian mourning era, jewelry wearers were ready for a lighter aesthetic as the 20th century began, says forensic gemologist and jewelry expert Suzanne Martinez. The accession of Queen Victoria’s son Edward VII and his stylish wife Alexandra to the throne in 1901 marked a new period in fashion.
The Edwardian era overlapped with the Art Nouveau and Art Deco movements and was particularly remarkable for its use of platinum, which offered new design possibilities and material longevity, Martinez relates.
In the latest episode of the Jewelry Connoisseur Podcast, the San Francisco-based dealer explores the period’s techniques and jewelry language. For the recording, she wore three exceptional examples of Edwardian jewelry, which are featured below.
Martinez also shares how jewelry lovers can expand their knowledge through Antique Jewelry University, a section of the Lang Antiques website that explains the history and styles of ornamentation over the years.
To listen to the Jewelry Connoisseur Podcast, click below.
This episode — along with the two previous seasons — is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube.
The Jewelry Connoisseur Podcast is hosted by Rapaport Editor in Chief Sonia Esther Soltani, and produced and edited by Vanina Pikholc.
