Saturday, May 26, 2012

Mastery of Design: The Cory Diamond Earrings, 1860


Lady Cory's Diamond Rosette Earrings
England, 1860
The Victoria & Albert Museum



From the collection of Lady Cory, we have this pair of earrings.  Open-set in silver backed in gold, we see brilliant-cut diamonds in a rosette design.  While the backs have been altered, the jewels themselves are unchanged from the time they were created, circa 1860.

During this period, distinctions of rank, age, occasion and dress determined what jewelry could be worn and when. Etiquette manuals dictated the appropriateness of fashion.  For instance, one popular manual stated that diamonds, pearls and emeralds were for full evening wear only and that during the daytime, women were expected to wear less elaborate jewelry.  So, naturally, these earrings would have been reserved for formal evening wear. 





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