A Victorian Romance

This month I decided to make my Jewelry Creators Unite In Numbers (JCUIN) collection on Artfire with a Victorian Romance theme.  I'm not an expert on styles.  I don't know exactly what makes them Victorian or Romantic, other than I think they are.  So here is a closer look at some of them.  If anyone wants to share their expertise on whether or not they're actually Victorian style or not, feel free to enlighten me!

I love this cha-cha ring with a dusky pink rose.  Actually I love the rose all by itself because it looks so real you just want to smell it!  But it looks even better with all those leaf and filigree layers that Sally of Crystal Bazaar has added to it in the process of making it into a ring.   I did not know this, but apparently a cha-cha ring is a ring that is made by attaching beads to it.  When I think of Victorian, I think of flowers and filigree, so this cha-cha ring fits the bill in my opinion.

  

This one, called "Bling in the Holidays" by Holly of Au Naturale Jewelry, might be a little more modern spin on the romantic Victorian look.  I think the fact the filigree is flat looks a little more modern, but what do I know?  It still has filigree, and it has crystal dangles as well!  This would make some great bling for a holiday party.

Here's a stunning pair of earrings that is in the collection along with the matching necklace by Strega Jewellry.  It is very ornate, which I think is another feature of the Victorian era.  She has added a very nice verdigris patina with a little accent of merlot wine.  I love the combination of the green patina with the shiny pearl-like glass beads.

   

I picked these earrings because of the embellished little hearts with dangles.  That makes it Victorian Romantic inspired in my book.  These prehenite and sterling silver earrings were made by Jill of Jill's Jewelry.  The round beads are prehenite, and the little bicones up top are Swarovski Crystal.  An interesting fact I learned about Jill by looking at her Artfire Bio page is that she is actually a practicing attorney. 

These sterling silver and cultured freshwater pearl earrings are made by me and you can find them at Shanghai Tai.  I had these sterling silver components for awhile and finally decided to make something out of them.  Each Swarovski crystal and each pearl is close wire-wrapped onto the intricate sterling chandelier component.  Certainly romantic, are they Victorian?  I don't know, maybe if I had used black pearls and crystals they would be Goth!

Lastly, this chain maille bracelet and earring set by Moxie Gem Designs isn't actually Victorian at all.  It's use dates back to a much earlier era.  But this jewelry, in my opinion, gives an illusion of having that intricate detail like that romantic Victorian jewelry has.  The intricate design itself is made from many individual jump rings all put together.  This bracelet and earrings is a little mini work of art in itself.

I hope you enjoyed my pretend romantic jewelry journey though the Victorian era.  If you'd like to see the rest of the "A Victorian Romance" collection, you can find it here:

http://www.artfire.com/modules.php?name=collections&op=details&cid=37229

Thanks for looking!