The History of Jewelry | Renaissance Jewellery

Renaissance Era European Jewellery (1550 to 1700)

The Renaissance was punctuated by explosive growth in knowledge, artistic expression, global exploration, and trade that led to one of the richest periods in human history. By the mid 1600s, European merchants and traders had spread out across the globe in search of exotic raw materials which would find their way into the art, jewelry, and architecture of the times.

The European fascination with gold and gemstones drove the conquest of several continents, and expanded the empires of many European nations. Among the many notable explorers and merchants of the period was Jean-Baptiste Tavernier (1605-1689), a French traveler who catalogued his journeys to India, Persia, Sri Lanka, and the Far East, while in search of riches to bring back to the European aristocracy.

During this period of enlightenment, luxuries were confined to only the upper aristocratic classes, and jewelry of the period is mostly confined to the crown jewels of monarchies and European nobility. Most of the jewelry from the Renaissance was either disassembled and remade into smaller pieces, kept in state-owned collections such as the British Crown Jewels, or sold off to museums.

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Bibliography & Suggestions for Further Study on Ancient Jewelry

1. Oppi Untracht, Jewelry Concepts & Technology - Complete Reference Guide . Doubleday

2. Dean Wukitsch, Etruscan Granulation and Filigree . www.mmdtkw.org