Metals
Silver
Silver has been a valued metal throughout antiquity, as currency, and in jewelry. We primarily see silver is our estate jewelry from pieces from the 17th and 18th centuries. Silver became increasingly popular in the Georgian period as more diamonds began to make their way onto the market (primarily from the discoveries of placer deposits in Brazil). The fashion was to set white stones in white metal. Most silver and diamond jewelry produced in the 19th century would also have a gold back. This served to add value to the jewelry as well as keep the tarnish from ruining the clothing of the wearer.
Once platinum became a viable jewelry metal around 1890, it replaced silver as the white metal of choice. The tradition of backing it in gold continued however, until about 1900.
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Our Buyer's Guide explains terms related to fine estate jewelry, stones and metals. If you have any questions regarding this site, the jewelry, our stores, or us, please contact us.
You can also reach us by telephone at 415.346.7525 in the U.S. or +01.415.346.7525 outside the U.S.