Independent Antique & Vintage Jewellery Workshop · 1860s-1960s
LEARN THE ANTIQUES
Is This Gold?
Gold Plating, Low Carat Gold and All Peculiar Creations of the Old Times
Is this gold?” is probably the most common question you may hear near the jewellery shelves at the brocante store. But every time, it's not so much a question of matter, but one of expectation.
Gold, as a term, seems to divide the universe into two parts, and is a perfect example of a black-or-white world perception. But in fact, what the real-gold admirers call "Gold" belongs almost utterly in the grey zone.
The thing people don't want to admit is that 24K or 100% pure gold, when talking about jewellery or any practical use, is rather... hopeless.
Due to its extreme softness, it is prone to scratches, dents, and twisting, limiting its use for jewellery overall and secure gem settings or clasps in particular. Obviously, 24k gold must be appreciated for its purity, bright color, genuine glow, and corrosion resistance. However, without alloying metals, it lacks the strength and durability, limiting its use to collectors' [not wearable] pieces.
So, when you notice a shade of uncertainty on the face of the antiquarian, who was, just a second ago, so proud to present you their rare finds, don’t be confused: it’s not at all that they don’t know whether this is gold or not. On the contrary, they know it all too well; they just have to figure out what exactly you have asked about.
If only we could ask in return, "How much gold should your desirable gold be?" Sure, it would sound rather harsh, but it's indeed a reasonable question.
Ask me, I'll tell you 8-10 carats, and point out that 8 carats would be absolutely marvelous.
Yes, such low carats. Why? Because my first gold jewellery pieces were (ah, just like in history) given by my father and my young husband before I was even 20. 18 and 21 carats were probably supposed to make me feel loved and appreciated, but instead, I soon understood that gold is not for me.
Numerous stones fell out when the binding clung to my beloved woolen jumpers, and taking the wool off tore the chains so easily. Other pieces have never survived my lifestyle anyway, and soon I switched to silver.
It took me some 15 years of my life and 5 years of travels and education to give gold another try (an embarrassing fact: I simply adored the British goldsmiths' hallmarks, and this is how I got my first tiny, modest Victorian 8K (333, it's British!) gold ring).
And suddenly, it just worked out. With all my travels and carrying luggage, a noticeably increased collection of woolen jumpers, and two kids as a cherry on top. It radiated a subtle warm glow, was precious but modest, easily survived my best adventures, and restored my resilience when I lost it. Was it a perfect jewellery description?
How often when we say “gold” do we mean “value”? There are many types of gold used in jewellery, just like many kinds of values people are looking for over the centuries. And if you think that people “usually mean” solid gold or pure gold when asking about it, here's my guide to tell you that it is usually a huge mistake to imply only this smallish meaning to such a powerful symbol.
Gold, as a term, seems to divide the universe into two parts, and is a perfect example of a black-or-white world perception. But in fact, what the real-gold admirers call "Gold" belongs almost utterly in the grey zone.
The thing people don't want to admit is that 24K or 100% pure gold, when talking about jewellery or any practical use, is rather... hopeless.
Due to its extreme softness, it is prone to scratches, dents, and twisting, limiting its use for jewellery overall and secure gem settings or clasps in particular. Obviously, 24k gold must be appreciated for its purity, bright color, genuine glow, and corrosion resistance. However, without alloying metals, it lacks the strength and durability, limiting its use to collectors' [not wearable] pieces.
So, when you notice a shade of uncertainty on the face of the antiquarian, who was, just a second ago, so proud to present you their rare finds, don’t be confused: it’s not at all that they don’t know whether this is gold or not. On the contrary, they know it all too well; they just have to figure out what exactly you have asked about.
If only we could ask in return, "How much gold should your desirable gold be?" Sure, it would sound rather harsh, but it's indeed a reasonable question.
Ask me, I'll tell you 8-10 carats, and point out that 8 carats would be absolutely marvelous.
Yes, such low carats. Why? Because my first gold jewellery pieces were (ah, just like in history) given by my father and my young husband before I was even 20. 18 and 21 carats were probably supposed to make me feel loved and appreciated, but instead, I soon understood that gold is not for me.
Numerous stones fell out when the binding clung to my beloved woolen jumpers, and taking the wool off tore the chains so easily. Other pieces have never survived my lifestyle anyway, and soon I switched to silver.
It took me some 15 years of my life and 5 years of travels and education to give gold another try (an embarrassing fact: I simply adored the British goldsmiths' hallmarks, and this is how I got my first tiny, modest Victorian 8K (333, it's British!) gold ring).
And suddenly, it just worked out. With all my travels and carrying luggage, a noticeably increased collection of woolen jumpers, and two kids as a cherry on top. It radiated a subtle warm glow, was precious but modest, easily survived my best adventures, and restored my resilience when I lost it. Was it a perfect jewellery description?
How often when we say “gold” do we mean “value”? There are many types of gold used in jewellery, just like many kinds of values people are looking for over the centuries. And if you think that people “usually mean” solid gold or pure gold when asking about it, here's my guide to tell you that it is usually a huge mistake to imply only this smallish meaning to such a powerful symbol.
by Polina Lyapustina
Curator of Chioschetto
In history, gold was not only a symbol of wealth, but also a great reflector of the situation in the world. And, as you might have recently noticed, the world is a very strange, sometimes incomprehensible place. So, if you tend to value your jewellery based on by price of the materials they are made of, a modern jewellery store would be the right choice, but if you want to obtain the value of the history of humanity through your little treasure and understand the world a little better, you’ll be happy to discover some keys to see a value behind the composition of the metal, and even understand the people separated from us by a century of their struggles and not easy choices.
Although you can find hundreds of articles about types of gold jewellery on the internet, this article will focus on the role of gold during the turbulent 100-year period between 1860 and 1960, which saw the development of our civilization through industrialization, the collapse of empires, revolutions, and the two World Wars.
Although you can find hundreds of articles about types of gold jewellery on the internet, this article will focus on the role of gold during the turbulent 100-year period between 1860 and 1960, which saw the development of our civilization through industrialization, the collapse of empires, revolutions, and the two World Wars.
Shells and pearls on the skin of the beautiful young girl made her irresistible and might cause trouble; already there and then, jewellery posed a question of modesty and careful statements the pieces made.
Civilisation developed, and soon valuable and attractive pieces began to be chosen and purchased by men and put on women, [under control, for their safety], depriving them of choice or will, and often reducing them to mere adornments.
The modest pieces owned by ordinary people still came from traditional crafts and remained the property of people who wore them as a part of their life and personality.
During the glorious Georgian and Victorian Romantic periods, the modest heritage jewellery has slowly and secretly become a symbol of women's choice. While the gold and gemstones were still gifts from husbands or fathers, and were chosen (read as required) to wear in public according to one's status, the modest inherited pieces would be kept close to the heart and worn freely in daily life.
The Victorian Grand Period pushed modesty to the stars. The art of being beautiful in black, or the science of making shiny precious metals and gems look modest, has been honed and perfected over two decades.
The mourning time turned to become another step to women's freedom to dream and create, because the fashion of male choice for jewellery — shiny and valuable — was certainly not (always) enough to enrich and embellish women's wardrobes for decades.
By the end of the XIX century, modest jewellery became a deliberate choice of emancipated women of all classes. They now had diverse interests, often their own (obviously smaller) income, and certainly valued the suffrage. Although their jewellery wasn't what we call statement jewellery today, every piece chosen freely was a statement. Choosing modesty meant a lot.
Choosing the old meant cherishing your family heritage. Choosing silver when you could buy gold meant paying the difference for a better cause of your own choice. Gold plating would mean a mother from a middle-class family could shine out with real gold luster and have jewellery that would last. Crystals instead of gems would say that a woman could find it with her own money.
Moreover, the craft has changed and now Silver, Vermeil, Bronze, Brass, Pinchbeck, Gold Plating, Semi-precious stones, and even Crystals, which were used for centuries but were just a cheap replacement, were used to create modern and long-lasting pieces that have become a great deal themselves.
Civilisation developed, and soon valuable and attractive pieces began to be chosen and purchased by men and put on women, [under control, for their safety], depriving them of choice or will, and often reducing them to mere adornments.
The modest pieces owned by ordinary people still came from traditional crafts and remained the property of people who wore them as a part of their life and personality.
During the glorious Georgian and Victorian Romantic periods, the modest heritage jewellery has slowly and secretly become a symbol of women's choice. While the gold and gemstones were still gifts from husbands or fathers, and were chosen (read as required) to wear in public according to one's status, the modest inherited pieces would be kept close to the heart and worn freely in daily life.
The Victorian Grand Period pushed modesty to the stars. The art of being beautiful in black, or the science of making shiny precious metals and gems look modest, has been honed and perfected over two decades.
The mourning time turned to become another step to women's freedom to dream and create, because the fashion of male choice for jewellery — shiny and valuable — was certainly not (always) enough to enrich and embellish women's wardrobes for decades.
By the end of the XIX century, modest jewellery became a deliberate choice of emancipated women of all classes. They now had diverse interests, often their own (obviously smaller) income, and certainly valued the suffrage. Although their jewellery wasn't what we call statement jewellery today, every piece chosen freely was a statement. Choosing modesty meant a lot.
Choosing the old meant cherishing your family heritage. Choosing silver when you could buy gold meant paying the difference for a better cause of your own choice. Gold plating would mean a mother from a middle-class family could shine out with real gold luster and have jewellery that would last. Crystals instead of gems would say that a woman could find it with her own money.
Moreover, the craft has changed and now Silver, Vermeil, Bronze, Brass, Pinchbeck, Gold Plating, Semi-precious stones, and even Crystals, which were used for centuries but were just a cheap replacement, were used to create modern and long-lasting pieces that have become a great deal themselves.
At the time of the late Queen Victoria in Europe and the end of the Gilded Age in the US, the modest jewellery brought a clear message to every woman: "You can have your jewellery too, without pretending to be someone else."
Those messages hidden in jewellery of that period are now a part of the priceless heritage of freedom and suffrage for us to learn and remember. Also, we should be grateful to be able to learn it in peace.
In just a decade after those values were crafted and not yet finally confirmed, the people who were far from or even against them would have to learn and adopt them during the Great War.
The Great War changed the world forever. And it was the modest Victorian and Art Nouveau pieces that were adopted during the inter-war period and set a base (over the Edwardian) for later Art Deco pieces. And it was the modest materials that were used during the periods of shortage in gold and silver. And it was a heritage of Victorian times that helped millions of women to mourn after the War.
The jewellery stopped shouting; it would rather flow, grow, and build around its owner. It stopped dictating, it began reflecting and adapting to survive in the new world, as humanity must have done.
In just a decade after those values were crafted and not yet finally confirmed, the people who were far from or even against them would have to learn and adopt them during the Great War.
The Great War changed the world forever. And it was the modest Victorian and Art Nouveau pieces that were adopted during the inter-war period and set a base (over the Edwardian) for later Art Deco pieces. And it was the modest materials that were used during the periods of shortage in gold and silver. And it was a heritage of Victorian times that helped millions of women to mourn after the War.
The jewellery stopped shouting; it would rather flow, grow, and build around its owner. It stopped dictating, it began reflecting and adapting to survive in the new world, as humanity must have done.
World War II, which arrived too soon, would cut this development in two. After another 7 years of deaths, we would soon see the bold Retro style, demanding the world not only to survive, but to celebrate life out loud, no matter if in diamonds and pearls, or glass and plastic. Meanwhile, the Modernist development would rather research, reflect, and simply live the new reality that was like nothing before.
When the world arrived in the 1960s [here, Chioschetto concludes its research], we see the civilization of great progress, yet still in chaos, and full of fears. We see much denial and rejection of old ideas, for better and for worse. And not much resilience or confidence.
But there was a woman, although it's not a popular opinion to refer to her nowadays. She wasn't a rebel; she never protested; she was calm and just did her job. The job she never chose, I must admit, but she was well-trained, I guess. She inherited and proudly carried modesty and nobility as her flag.
She was a working mother of four, in her 30s, and a Queen. And I bet she was afraid, too. While the US and USSR threatened to wipe humanity off the face of the Earth, she implemented the decolonization plan in Africa.
Yes, it's Queen Elizabeth II who embodied the concept of modest jewellery better than anyone. Her string of pearls, which became her part and was buried with the queen, became an undeniable symbol of the modest conclusion of my research: jewellery shouldn't create an image; it must match its owner deeply, and when it does, it simply reveals a better, stronger, more resilient you.
For the queen who tries to keep her head up and serve, while for many, the monarchy seems outdated. Or equally, for a tired housewife opening the jewellery box with her granny's necklace, she used to borrow and run away from the house in the golden days of no responsibilities. Or a young lady heading to the club for the first time wearing the pendant her mother gave her for her 16th birthday, not so much to feel beautiful, but to feel safe and most importantly — herself.
Because when you take off the crown, it's important to feel that a modest string of pearls enhances your royal grace no less. Because it's who you are, and modest jewellery is all about that.
When the world arrived in the 1960s [here, Chioschetto concludes its research], we see the civilization of great progress, yet still in chaos, and full of fears. We see much denial and rejection of old ideas, for better and for worse. And not much resilience or confidence.
But there was a woman, although it's not a popular opinion to refer to her nowadays. She wasn't a rebel; she never protested; she was calm and just did her job. The job she never chose, I must admit, but she was well-trained, I guess. She inherited and proudly carried modesty and nobility as her flag.
She was a working mother of four, in her 30s, and a Queen. And I bet she was afraid, too. While the US and USSR threatened to wipe humanity off the face of the Earth, she implemented the decolonization plan in Africa.
Yes, it's Queen Elizabeth II who embodied the concept of modest jewellery better than anyone. Her string of pearls, which became her part and was buried with the queen, became an undeniable symbol of the modest conclusion of my research: jewellery shouldn't create an image; it must match its owner deeply, and when it does, it simply reveals a better, stronger, more resilient you.
For the queen who tries to keep her head up and serve, while for many, the monarchy seems outdated. Or equally, for a tired housewife opening the jewellery box with her granny's necklace, she used to borrow and run away from the house in the golden days of no responsibilities. Or a young lady heading to the club for the first time wearing the pendant her mother gave her for her 16th birthday, not so much to feel beautiful, but to feel safe and most importantly — herself.
Because when you take off the crown, it's important to feel that a modest string of pearls enhances your royal grace no less. Because it's who you are, and modest jewellery is all about that.
Chioschetto Newsletter
Subscribe to our newsletter for the New Drops Announcements and Stories Behind Our Jewellery. The emails will arrive at most twice a month. Learn about the meaning and hidden secrets of antique and vintage jewellery with Chioschetto ❤️
J.G. Keulemans' illustrations for the 1871 album Exotic Birds, as well as fashion magazines of various years from 1890 to 1954, were used to design the site.
© All rights reserved by Polina Lyapustina. Use of information and images from the site is only possible with the permission of the owner.