| Diamond necklaces, like other jewelry of the | | | | jewelry. Not many pieces are found today in |
| Georgia period, were handmade. These design | | | | Georgian style. Knowledge of the appearance |
| period in jewelry occurred at the same time as | | | | mostly is from portraits commissioned during the |
| the reign of the four English kings who gave their | | | | times. |
| name to the period, namely about 1714 through | | | | A fairly consistent giveaway in detecting Georgian |
| 1830. | | | | era diamond necklaces is often the way in which |
| Diamond necklaces from this period reflected the | | | | the diamonds are mounted. Today, diamonds are |
| desire to experiment with new designs, new | | | | often set in open work but Georgian gems |
| metals, and new ways of cutting the diamonds. | | | | typically were set over silver or gold foil and the |
| At the onset of the Georgian period, diamonds | | | | backs of the diamonds were enclosed in metal in |
| were the gemstone of choice, so diamond | | | | the same way in which rhinestones typically are |
| necklaces were very popular. The demand for | | | | mounted today. In fact, foil backing in today's |
| diamond lookalikes was so strong that a whole | | | | jewelry pieces nearly always indicates that the |
| industry grew up using paste, rock crystal, cut | | | | stone is fake. |
| steel,and marcasite (iron pyrite) as substitutes for | | | | Other common features of Georgian diamond |
| the real thing. Even royalty was not adverse to | | | | necklaces included gold work that was flat and |
| wearing the fakes, since they were so well done. | | | | low, diamonds that were backed with foil, and |
| Diamond necklaces from the early Georgian | | | | bezel mounting. Often enameling of black and |
| period often used large stones set in an elaborate | | | | white or cobalt blue was used. Charles Pinchbeck, |
| rococo style. This placed emphasis on shell like | | | | an English watchmaker created a zinc and copper |
| curves, the same as found in many of the | | | | alloy which was used as a substitute for gold. |
| buildings created in the style. Elsewhere it was also | | | | During the years of the Georgian period, diamond |
| called Baroque, or even the French style. The | | | | cutters set their skills to producing exciting new |
| main characteristics are the size, the arcs and | | | | gem cuts which were displayed in the diamond |
| curves, and further, asymmetric designs. | | | | necklaces created by the artisans. The brilliant |
| As Georgian period progressed, diamond | | | | cuts, cushion cut and rose cut all found favor with |
| necklaces moved from rococo to Gothic revival | | | | the public. |
| and on to neoclassical in architecture as well in | | | | |