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Art Deco Era (Circa 1915-1935)
Art Deco expresses the sleekness of the new machine age with long thin forms, flattened curves, mathematical proportions and angular patterns. During World War I, transitional Art Deco focused on the abstract, and simplified and strengthened the curvaceous lines of Art Nouveau. By the “Roaring Twenties,” its bold geometric aspects were dominant, and were further influenced by Egyptian motifs (King Tut’s tomb was discovered in 1923), and by the onset of Cubism (late ‘20s). The name Art Deco derived from the 1925 Paris Exposition of Decorative Arts, which required designers to submit only new, modern designs – and not just in jewelry, but furniture, housewares, architecture and more. Our Art Deco mountings often have square heads, and with slight modification can take square/Princess-cut stones. We also offer some striking Art Deco settings for emerald-cut (rectangular) stones.
Art Nouveau Era (Circa 1890-1914)
French for “new art,” this was a turn-of-the-century art form, leaving behind the soft haze of Impressionism for the daring, sensuous mood of a new millennium. Common themes and elements were: free-flowing curving lines, swirling abstractions, ethereal feminine figures with long flowing hair; stylized flowers (orchids/irises) and fernery; reptiles and snakes; insects, dragonflies and butterflies; and the influence of Japanese art. The style found its name when Samuel Bing opened a successful shop named “Galeries de l’Art Nouveau,” offering works from all the best designers in the new style. Rene Lalique led the French in Art Nouveau jewelry, while Louis Comfort Tiffany (who had studied in Paris) was its major American proponent. This extravagant style found its demise in the forced frugality of World War I.
Bail – A small part attached to the top of a pendant, through which the chain slides. In modern times, a rabbit-ear bail is a common choice, but a single bail (slightly wedge-shaped) is more true to the eras of the Classic Royalty.
Belcher Setting (Circa 1850-1890)
Although the dates are Victorian, this is a uniquely American style, named after American designer Thomas Belcher. The defining feature is how the stone is secured into the ring -- using prongs or claws that are cut into the shank of the ring, so that the stone does not extend above the circumference of the shank. A secondary characteristic is that most Belcher-style mountings have a round dip between the prongs at their base. The closest European counterpart is the flush-set “gypsy” mounting. It is a sturdy style, and because the stone sets low into the ring, it is less likely to catch on things. We offer Belcher-style mountings in a variety of weights and looks, up through the Art Nouveau era.
Bezel setting – Uses a narrow rim of metal around the girdle or perimeter of a stone to hold it securely. An alternative to prong settings. It was formerly referred to as “the Euro setting,” but soon became a part of the American design scene.
Buttercup Setting (Circa 1880-1890)
A late-Victorian style, typically American. Named for the buttercup flower, this style of head has prongs that press outward at the base. Curves between the prongs accentuate the petal effect, making it look like a flower when viewed from the top. Buttercup heads normally have a low profile for “snag-free” wearing.
Cabochon and Cushion Cuts – Cabochon is a stone cut with a smoothly polished, unfaceted dome top surface – used from antiquity until the 15th century, when it was displaced by faceting. Commonly features a flat back, and is used with opaque to translucent stones such as opal, moonstone, jade and turquoise. A garnet cabochon is also referred to as a carbuncle. The cabochon cut was revived during the Art Nouveau period, and remains popular today. A cushion-cut stone is also dome shaped and often flat-backed, but with a faceted dome, more likely used with transparent stone. Both are commonly bezel-set.
Carat – Unit of weight for gemstones, with 100 points to a carat, and one carat equaling one-fifth of a gram.
Cathedral mounting – To tell a cathedral mounting, you need to look at it from the side, where you’ll see a wedge of gold rising from the shank’s shoulder, with a scooped profile as it connects near the top of the head. Typically the wedge is open, looking like a triangular cutout from the side, which adds to the appearance of a “flying buttress” on an ancient cathedral – perhaps the reason for the style’s name. In Classic Royalty, cathedral styling is found mostly within the crown mounting section.
Chronology - Major jewelry style/eras represented in Wooden Skate Classic Royalty:
Victorian 1837-1901
Cigar Band 1850-1870
Belcher 1850-1890
Eastlake 1875-1890
Buttercup 1880-1890
Art Nouveau 1890-1914
Edwardian 1901-1914
Crown 1910-1929
Art Deco 1915-1935
Cigar Band Style (Circa 1850–1870)
A distinctly American style, patterned after paper cigar bands of the era (perhaps triggered by the poverty of Civil War-time). The characteristics of these pseudo paper bands are: (1) the surface is flat, not domed; (2) the band is fairly wide and is uniform in width (no tapering); and (3) there are engravings into the band, at least on the shoulder. Common patterns are geometric, as in the Eastlake style. A head can be attached to the band to create a mounting.
Crown Mountings & Sets (Circa 1910-1929)
A delicately ornate American style. Viewed from the side, the head looks like a crown. On rings, the shank typically features either filigree or engraving, although some transitional styles have a smooth shoulder. A cathedral profile is common. These high-profile settings satisfy a taste for airiness. In our collection, three of these mountings have matching wedding bands, which wrap around one side of the solitaire mounting.
Eastlake Style (Circa 1875-1890)
Another style from the Victorian years that is uniquely American, named after American architect Charles Eastlake. It is characterized by engravings of lines and dots – a geometric styling – similar to the patterns found in Eastlake architecture and furniture. Usually a sturdy mounting.
Edwardian - Circa 1901-1915)
The Art Nouveau era overlaps with this British period, when Edward VII had succeeded Victoria to the throne. It heralded a turn toward opulence and elegance, called the Belle Epoque. Queen Alexandra, a long-necked beauty, popularized the choker-style “dog’s collar” necklace and long fringed necklaces. Quintessential Edwardian jewelry is delicate filigreed platinum, exquisitely formed into bows, swags, and other shapes, with liberal use of diamonds, which benefited from advances in cutting techniques at the time.
Engraving – A method of incising or cutting a linear design into the surface of a gem or metal. From the Greek “glyphe” meaning “carving.”
Facet – A polished surface; a small plane which is cut into a stone and enhances its reflection of light.
Filigree - Ornamental openwork of delicate, intricate patterns formed by fine metal wire. The process dates from ancient Egypt, of drawing silver wire through successively smaller holes until a very thin wire is formed. The wire is then coiled, bent and soldered into designs.
Filigree Basket Style (Circa 1910-1929)
If you like the delicacy of filigree and want a snag-free flush setting for your stone, this America style could be the answer. The gemstone sets down into the ring on a plate rather than using a raised head unit (although short prongs may be used). The area at the base of the prongs is typically decorated with filigree or engraving. The style is so named because, when held upside down, it resembles a flower basket, with the broad ring top representing the basket, and the shank depicting the large rounded handle.
Fleur-de-lis – The royal insignia of France, in common use as an ornamental detail. The design resembles a stylized lily or iris. In simple form it may resemble a “trefoil,” from the French for three leaves, and indeed it looks like a 3-leaf cluster.
Gold – A heavy, yellow, metallic element used for coins and jewelry since prehistoric times. Yellow gold is an alloy of gold, silver, copper, and often zinc. Rose gold is an alloy of gold and copper. White gold is an alloy of gold, nickel, copper, and zinc. Rose gold was a common choice in Victorian jewelry. White gold was popular in the 1920’s, and has made a comeback at the turn of the millennium, along with other white metals like platinum, palladium, and silver. Wooden Skate Classic Royalty are available in a variety of precious metals.
Head - The head is that part of a piece of jewelry which is intended to hold a gemstone in an attractive and secure manner. A head alone is not a useful piece of jewelry. It must be combined with (or an integral part of) something else, which determines whether it makes a ring, a pendant, an earring, a pin, a bracelet, etc. For example, a head with a shank makes a ring. Classic Royalty include such heads as: multi-prong, Belcher, buttercup, crown and bezel.
Melee - Gemstones of approx 1/5th carat or less, usually round, faceted diamonds (accent stones generally).
Millegrain – From the French for a thousand grains or beads. It can refer to a technique for setting stones, where the metal holding a stone was composed of nearly invisible grains. Nowadays it more often refers to a decorative edge, obtained by breaking up the metal into tiny light-reflecting beads – by making fine cuts or bead imprints, or by creating actual tiny raised beads.
Mounting – The portion of a piece of jewelry which holds or may hold a stone.
Piercing - In jewelry, a term indicating a type of openwork involving the perforating (cutting) of an opening or pattern of openings into metal. Intricate piercing was popular in jewelry at the turn of the century.
Prong – A narrow tab of metal folded over the girdle (widest circumference) of a stone to secure it in a setting.
Ring - A piece of jewelry which is worn on the fingers and slides on and off.
Setting – A mounting, or the portion of a mounting which actually holds the stone.
Shank – The part of a ring that circles the finger, or that portion of a ring which is finally joined to the center mounting or decorative top. Items in our e-catalog called “shank only” require you to add a head (or heads) to complete the ring and hold the stone(s).
Shoulder – The part of the ring that extends from the lower shank to the center of the setting.
Signet – A ring with a flat table or plate (escutcheon) on which a family crest or some other type of insignia or monogram is engraved. We provide signet rings with the plate left blank, ready for your inscription and possible accent stones to be added.
Solitaire – A ring with a single stone or a ring with a center stone and small accent side stones.
Trumpet – This refers to a flared shape, similar to the open end of a trumpet (the musical instrument, not the swan – smile).
Victorian Era (Circa 1837-1901)
Typically ornate rings in a wide variety of styles issued during the reign of England’s Queen Victoria, whose 64-year reign took society from the Dark Ages to the Age of Enlightenment. Victoria loved jewelry, and England challenged France as the leader in jewelry design during her reign. Our collection features some uniquely American styles and transitional Art Nouveau items which, by date, fall in the Victorian era. However, we have listed those under their own style names (Cigar Band, Eastlake, Belcher, Buttercup, Art Nouveau), reserving the “Victorian” label for items of that period which do not clearly fall under other distinct headings.
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