Ask someone to visualize a piece of antique jewelry, and there is a good chance that the piece will include an ornate design within the metal. Whether swirls or sharp lines, the artistry combined with the openness in the metal adds the type of elegance that can only come from the smallest of details. If the metal design features open spaces or a lace-like pattern, often made of wire, it is considered “filigree”. If the metal decoration does not completely pierce the design, it is considered “engraving”.

Lacy filigree-style designs have been popular additions to jewelry for centuries; the style dates as far back as 3000 BCE, specifically to the modern-day city of Midyan in Mardin Province, Turkey. However, the rise of the art nouveau style (also known as the ‘modern’ or ‘Glasgow’ style in the United Kingdom), along with changes in metal-working capabilities, initiated an increased use of filigree at the turn of the twentieth century CE. The design form has undergone several cycles of popularity, and has emerged once again as a popular trend among jewelry lovers seeking a look that stands out from the crowd.

The Functionality of Filigree

Filigree in a piece of jewelry inherently creates a look of elegance and shows that the wearer appreciates artistry and craftsmanship. In addition to simply being pleasing to the observant eye, it also serves a much more functional role: providing a large look while using less material. The use of filigree would allow jewelers to make large pieces more affordable or more profitable because the open spaces meant that more of the wearer's body could be decorated while using a smaller amount of metal.

The money saving side rings even more true today. When someone is buying an elaborate piece of jewelry with a filigree design, the original artist does not need to be paid for their work, as they were already paid 100 or so years ago. Therefore, the vast majority of the cost is focused on the materials. The more delicate the filigree, the less it weighs, and therefore, the less it will usually cost.

Introducing Platinum – Filigree Becomes More Delicate

One of the most important innovations in the history of jewelry making occurred at the very beginning of the 20h century. In 1903, French engineers Edmond Fouché and Charles Picard developed the concept of oxygen-acetylene welding. This allowed heat to reach higher temperatures for the purpose of metal cutting, but it also served a unique role within the jewelry industry: mixing oxygen with acetylene as fuel allowed the average jeweler to heat platinum to a point where the metal could be easily shaped. For the first time in recorded history, jewelers had access to a delicate, white metal that was durable enough to adorn the body and securely hold gemstones.

What about silver? When jewelers in Victorian times (and earlier) wanted to create a piece of jewelry using a white metal, they would use silver. While silver is a beautiful metal, it is fairly soft and requires a significant amount of metal to ensure durability. This meant silver jewelry designs inherently have to be chunky. Additionally, silver tarnishes when it interacts with oxygen, requiring it to be cleaned regularly. Platinum was able to serve the same purpose using significantly less metal, and never tarnishing. Another major advantage of using platinum is that it is hypoallergenic, but they probably didn't know that yet.

Sidenote: the ancient Egyptians were the first to use platinum in jewelry and pre-Columbian indigenous South American natives also learned how to shape it long before Europeans. After being “discovered” by Spanish soldiers in the 16th century, platinum was not successfully melted until 2 centuries later, in 1751. Details like this truly make one look back and appreciate the lost knowledge and skillsets of ancient peoples we so frequently look back on today as “primitive”.

Regardless of who did it first, by the early 1900s, platinum was the hottest trend in jewelry (pun intended), and jewelers started getting creative with the new material.

Edwardian Elegance

Countering the artful elegance of Art Nouveau, the jewelry of the Edwardian period remained ornate while focusing on materials viewed as more “traditionally valuable”. This meant using gems such as diamonds, ruby, sapphire, etc, as opposed to the less traditional materials favored by the Art Nouveau artists: opal, mother of pearl, malachite, lapis lazuli, etc. While the use of relatively inexpensive, artful materials didn’t stay on trend, the elegance of the Art Nouveau swirls certainly did. This transition in jewelry making directly led to the heavily filigreed “Garland Style” so commonly associated with Edwardian jewelry today.

The Edwardian period (1901-1910) may have influenced a return to a more traditional design style, but the use of platinum simultaneously encouraged jewelers to create more elaborate and delicate pieces.

A delicate, yet bold garland style platinum and diamond necklace - circa 1900-1915.

Art Deco Filigree: Sharpness and Symmetry

Another major innovation for the jewelry industry occurred in Germany, when white gold was first introduced in 1912. Despite the significance of this development, the use of white gold did not immediately catch on within the trade. This is most likely because the Germans and most western countries were on not the best terms during the few years that followed. By the 1920s, the world war was over and everyone was friends again. This allowed the unique new material to explode in popularity amongst jewelers as an easier to work with and less expensive alternative to platinum.

Following WWI, people in the US, particularly women, were ready for a significant change in most aspects of life. While the men were off in Europe fighting, American women took responsibility to keep factories running during the war. Just a few years later, women in the US would receive the right to vote in August 1920. 

This trend in women's empowerment was definitely not limited to the United States. In the United Kingdom, women over 30 gained the right to vote in 1918, and by 1928 all women were allowed to vote. This new sense of empowerment was reflected in almost every aspect of society, from art to architecture to fashion in the Art Deco movement (1920s-30s).

Because women of the Art Deco period were doing more laborious and adventurous activities compared to their Edwardian counterparts, jewelry became lower set and easier to wear. The trend of elegant, elaborate filigree was also left behind in favor of innovative (but equally elaborate) designs. These pieces incorporated sharp edges, bold geometry and symmetry. This edgy, futuristic look can be seen throughout Art Deco art, fashion, architecture, and of course, jewelry. 

Another Post-War Society Shift

As so often happens with large scale warfare and the lifestyle changes that must be made to accommodate it, WWII changed the way people in western countries prioritized most aspects of society. During the war, luxury goods were generally viewed as unpatriotic and unnecessary, but by the end, the people with the means to splurge were ready to do so. Just as the end of WWI a few decades earlier had prompted great change, attitudes at the end of WWII directly led to a change in tastes for all forms of art and expression, jewelry included.

An Art Deco necklace made in 14k white gold with European cut diamonds and baguette cut sapphires - circa 1920s

Aside from war, there were other direct reasons for the shift in style trends. Precious metals had been restricted during the war and were now available. Large lab created gemstones (including Linde star sapphires, which were first produced in 1947) were so much more widely available and viewed as scientific marvel. Natural gemstone supplies from the mines discovered in the preceding decades were also finally providing enough larger-sized gemstones to fulfill societies urges.

For all of these reasons and more, the post-war mid-century style was big and bold. Jewelry wearers traded intricate symmetry for big stones, pearls, asymmetry and a futuristic look. Who needs filigree when you have a 40 carat amethyst?

The End?

The Mid-Century and Modernist periods that followed focused on new design styles that tended to stray away from the elaborate elegance their parents and grandparents had enjoyed. While the Modernists incorporated a great deal of Art Deco inspiration, the delicate filigree did not necessarily make a comeback.

Modern jewelry does still frequently include filigree, but it is generally a more subtle accent and less ornate. Unlike with past generations, the intricacy will almost never be the main focal point of the design.

Society’s appetite for art and style continues to evolve. With mainstream use of the internet providing access to a plethora of design options simultaneously, society has significantly limited the importance of "trends" in favor of individualism. Today, there are no fashion taboos. Anything that makes you happy is in style.

The desire for a more distinctive personal appearance means that filigree designs are once again rising in popularity with those who appreciate the intricateness of art from another time. Whether someone prefers the traditional Victorian designs, elegant Edwardian/Art Nouveau swirls or bold Art Deco lines, the appreciation of the fine details is what makes a piece truly “yours”.

This article was originally featured in the Autumn 2024 issue of Gems & Jewellery, a digital magazine by The Gemological Institute of Great Britain (Gem-A).

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Lodewyk van Bercken, of Bruges, Flanders, is considered by most people in the jewelry industry to be the “Father of Modern Diamond Cutting”. His most notable contribution is that he is credited with inventing the skeif, the world’s first spinning diamond polishing wheel, in 1476. His unique device used a spinning metal wheel covered in a mixture of oil and diamond dust to create an abrasive texture that kept the diamond dust particles in place on the wheel. The cutter was then able to spin the wheel and hold the diamond on the wheel to polish it’s surface. This may not seem revolutionary in hindsight, but it’s important to remember that many people in the 1400s believed polishing a diamond was a physically impossible task.

Bercken used to his new device to change the way the world viewed diamonds. He became obsessed with their reflective insides and creating symmetry in a diamond’s facets. Through his experimentation, he fashioned what would become the world’s first table cut, rose cut, briolette cut, pendeloque cut (and therefore the pear shape) diamonds.

These contributions are unmatched by any one human and deservedly earned Lodewyk van Bercken the title of “Father of Modern Diamond Cutting” and a statue honoring his likeness just a few blocks away from Antwerp’s diamond district.

Faceted Pear Shape Diamond Set in the Burgundian Court Goblet - Circa 1453-1467 - Kunsthistorisches Museum - Credit - KHM-Museumsverband

The Only Problem With This Story is None of It Actually Happened…

All of these stories can be traced back to a man named Robert de Berquen (1615-1672), a man who claimed to be a descendant of Lodewyk. According to Robert, his ancestor invented the process of cutting diamonds with diamond powder in “a singular spirit of genius”.

Oddly enough, this “singular spirit of genius” was not viewed as relevant enough in his time that anyone ever bothered to document any of it. According to Jack Ogden in his book Diamonds: An Early History of the King of Gems, there is no evidence that Lodewyk van Bercken ever existed. Sure, records from that time period are scare, but one would think someone who contributed so much to art of diamond cutting would have been more revered by one of the royals who valued the stones so highly.

Additional evidence against this argument can be found in the form of a gold gem encrusted goblet currently housed in the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna. Among the gems decorating The Burgundian Court Goblet include a polished pear shape diamond. Considering the goblet was first documented in an inventory dating back to 1467 (7 years before Lodewyk experienced his “singular spirit of genius”), that pokes a serious hole in his story.

Based on historical evidence, Lodewyk van Bercken almost certainly not make all of these discoveries, although significant improvements to the art of polishing diamonds clearly occurred when he was said to have lived. Realistically, the first person to successfully polish a diamond probably occurred centuries earlier in Ancient India or the Middle East.

Whether he single-handedly invented the skeif, made some minor advancements to the craft of diamond cutting or never existed at all, the myth of Lodewyk van Bercken certainly lives on. He has been immortalized through centuries of story telling, his work was reinacted in the 1868 musical play, Berken de Diamantislijper by Karel Versnaeyen, and as we discussed earlier, his likeness can still be seen in the statue by Frans Joris in Antwerp.

On which hand is the wedding ring typically worn? Like most traditions, the answer is not universal and differs based on cultural norms.

The Argument for the Left Hand

In most Western countries, the wedding ring and engagement ring are traditionally worn on the ring finger of the left hand. The origin of this tradition can be traced back to the very first culture to exchange rings as a symbol of marriage over 5000 years ago: ancient Egypt.

The Ancient Egyptians believed that there was a vein which ran directly from the ring finger of the left hand to the heart. This isn’t true, but their belief started the tradition of wearing the wedding ring on that finger, symbolizing the connection between the heart and the commitment of marriage.

The Romans continued the tradition of wearing the wedding ring on the left hand, calling the ring finger "vena amoris," meaning "the vein of love." Over time, this idea remained consistent and the tradition of using this finger to represent marriage spread throughout Europe.

Countries in which wedding rings are commonly worn on the left hand include the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Mexico, and South Africa.

The Argument for the Right Hand

Not all cultures subscribe to the tradition of wearing rings on the left hand. In many countries, the wedding ring is traditionally worn on the right hand, most likely because the left hand was considered “unclean”. Before the adoption of modern hygiene, people did dirty things with their left hand and clean things with their right. We aren’t going to go into too much detail on that one, just trust me.

Countries in which people tend to wear their wedding bands on the right hand include Bulgaria, Denmark, Greece, India, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Russia and Spain.

Eastern Orthodox Tradition

In Eastern Orthodox Christianity, the wedding ring is worn on the right hand. This practice may stem from the belief that the right hand is associated with blessings and power, and therefore represents a closer relationship with God. Some customs also suggest that a devil sits on a person’s left shoulder, and an angel sits on their right, so choosing the right hand represents siding with God. In a lot of western cultures, Eastern Orthodox weddings will still place the rings on the right hand of each person, even if they choose to switch it to their left after the ceremony.

Jewish Tradition

In Jewish tradition, the wedding ring is also placed on the right hand during the marriage ceremony. Just like with the Eastern Orthodox tradition, this is typically ceremonial and in Western countries, most people will move the ring to their left hand following the ceremony.

Islamic Tradition

According to Islamic traditions, there are no rules for which hand the wedding ring is worn. For women, there isn’t even any specific rules requiring a certain finger, although for men are forbidden from wearing the ring on their index or middle finger. The only exception to this is in Iran, where it is customary to wear the wedding rings on one’s right hand.

Alexandrite was the first color changing stone ever discovered, and the intensity of the color change causes it to be one of the most highly valued gemstones in the world. It also ranks really high on a Moh’s scale (8.5), so it’s not a stone that gets destroyed from every day wear.

High quality alexandrite is valued based on size, of course, but the intensity of the color change plays a larger role in determining value. The strong color change stones will be a vivid intense green under natural light and a beautiful deep red under artificial light.

While natural alexandrite is the most famous color changing stones, there are other stones that experience just as strong of a color change.

@levysfj "Emerald by day, ruby by night" - natural alexandrite appears green under natural light and red under artificial light 🌞🕯 What do you think about this unique ring? #alexandrite #gemtok #raregem ♬ Change - ONE OK ROCK

Sapphire

The most durable and valuable of all of the color changing gemstones on this list is color change sapphire. The color difference is usually not quite as extreme as with a high quality alexandrite, but it’s definitely noticeable. As with all color changing stones, the more extreme the difference in color, the more valuable the stone.

Color change sapphires can transition from blue to red, red to brown, blue to violet, green to red or green to yellowish green. Color change sapphires are beautiful stones, but they are very rare, especially in large sizes. Synthetic color change sapphires are fairly common, transitioning from a deep blue to a rich purple depending on lighting conditions.

Color Change Sapphire - Photo by GIA

Garnet

Color change garnet is another beautiful collector stone that is durable enough to be worn consistently in jewelry. The change of color in these garnets can be subtle, like a stone that transitions from golden to a more pure orange, or more extreme like a green to a red. Other color change combinations can be dark blue to brownish red, blue to violet, blue to red, violet to red, green to brown or red to a more purplish red.

Color Change Garnet - Photo by Color First

Andesine

Andesine is a unique stone which is most often found in red, green and yellow. The color changing version of this stone switches from green under natural light to a reddish orange or purple/violet color under incandescent light.  Andesine measures as a 6-6.5 on a Mohs scale of hardness, so expect it to eventually become worn if you choose to wear it every day in a ring.

Diaspore (Zultanite)

Color changing diaspore is most commonly known by it’s trade name, Zultanite. This unique stone exhibits a strong pleochroism, so the stone may appear to show different colors from different angles, without even adjusting the light. The most common colors exhibited in zultanite are yellow or green to a red or reddish brown. Diaspore ranks as a 6.5-7 on a Mohs scale, so it’s harder than a lot of the stones on this list, but it’s a very rare stone, only commercially mined in Turkey, so it’s not something you’re going to see a lot.

Color Change Diaspore (Zultanite) - Photo by GIA

Fluorite

Fluorite is a common stone to find amongst mineral collectors due to its vivid color and how commonly it exhibits strong color zoning with different colors. Unfortunately, it’s color has a tendency to dull with too much light. It also measures as a 4 on the Mohs scale, so it’s not the most suitable stone to use for jewelry. The most common color transition for color changing fluorite is from blue to purple or violet.

Spinel

Spinel is another stone that is rather durable, measuring a 7.5-8 on the Mohs scale. It is commonly found in intense reds, pinks or blues, but sometimes, it will shift from blue to a shade of purple or dull red. The color changing form of spinel is very rare in large sizes, so it’s not something that you are going to see super frequently.

Color Change Spinel - Photo by Color First

Glass/CZ

Like so many other phenomenal effects in gemstones, humans have learned to replicate the color change effect of certain stones in man-made glass or CZ form. Color change CZ is most frequently going to mimic alexandrite by appearing green under natural light and orange or red under incandescent light. Color changing glass also most commonly mimics alexandrite (because it is the perceived as the most valuable stone exhibiting this effect), but it can sometimes mimic other stones. The example below is a manmade glass ring with incredibly strong color changing mimicking zultanite.

@levysfj Can you guess the stone? 🔮 #color #colorchallenge #ring #jewelry #workdistractions #retailtherapy #ringchallenge #ringlover #fashion #foryou #fyp ♬ original sound - rin