Victorian Brooches
The reign of Queen Victoria encapsulates a quickly evolving period of history — and jewelry styles were no exception. No single period has seen such a diverse group of jewelry attributed to it than the Victorian era. Today, there is a vast collection of authentic antique Victorian jewelry and watches on 1stDibs.
Victorian jewelry is named after Queen Victoria, whose reign lasted from 1837 to 1901, making her the second longest-ruling monarch. (She was surpassed by Queen Elizabeth II in 2015.) During this time, different styles of fashion and jewelry came and went. Thanks to our fascination with royalty and swoon-worthy melodramas like Netflix’s The Crown — which is rife with evocative fashion, jewelry and interiors — and the 2017 feature film Victoria & Abdul, we are all familiar with her story. After the death of Victoria’s father and three childless uncles, she ascended to the throne at age 18. In 1840, Queen Victoria married the love of her life, her first cousin Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.
Queen Victoria loved serpentine jewels, and she had even more power to shape trends than Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle do today. The British monarch’s best-known piece in this mold is the gold coiled-snake engagement ring she received from Prince Albert — the sinuous reptile was considered a symbol of everlasting love.
The Queen's 63-year reign has been divided by historians into the Romantic period, the early happy years, circa 1837–60; the Grand period, marked by the deaths of the Queen’s mother and husband, circa 1860–80; and the late Victorian or Aesthetic period, which lasted from about 1880 until 1901 and ushered in the Belle Époque. Queen Victoria wore her heart on her sleeve, and her fashion and jewelry reflected her emotions.
Romantic period jewelry, which featured common decorative motifs and was embellished with seed pearls, coral and turquoise, was a celebration of the young monarch’s love. Everything changed with the death of Prince Albert, and the Grand period is most often associated with mourning jewelry. Jewelry was smaller, lighter and more dainty during the late Victorian period. During this era, diamonds came into fashion, and semiprecious gems such as amethysts and opals became prevalent, too. Using gemstones for their natural beauty and not their worth was something that jewelers of the era felt passionate about, and this ideology would really become relevant in Art Nouveau jewelry.
Find a collection of authentic antique Victorian jewelry — from rings, necklaces and brooches to a range of other accessories — on 1stDibs.
Mid-20th Century Victorian Brooches
Pearl, Yellow Gold
1880s Unknown Antique Victorian Brooches
Diamond, Ruby, 15k Gold, Sterling Silver
Late 19th Century British Antique Victorian Brooches
Pearl
1890s English Antique Victorian Brooches
Diamond, Pearl, Rose Gold, Sterling Silver
Late 19th Century Unknown Antique Victorian Brooches
Onyx, Gold, 10k Gold
1880s British Antique Victorian Brooches
10k Gold
19th Century Antique Victorian Brooches
Coral, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Late 19th Century Unknown Antique Victorian Brooches
Diamond, Turquoise, Gold, 14k Gold, Rose Gold
Early 1900s Scottish Antique Victorian Brooches
Agate
Late 19th Century Antique Victorian Brooches
Diamond, Sapphire, 14k Gold, Silver
1890s Austrian Antique Victorian Brooches
Chalcedony, Diamond, Sapphire, Gold, Silver
20th Century American Victorian Brooches
Crystal, Gold Plate
1890s British Antique Victorian Brooches
Diamond, Natural Pearl, Gold, Silver
Mid-19th Century American Antique Victorian Brooches
Sapphire, 18k Gold
1890s Antique Victorian Brooches
Diamond, Emerald, Ruby, Yellow Gold, Silver
Early 1900s Antique Victorian Brooches
Diamond, 18k Gold
1890s Antique Victorian Brooches
Diamond
19th Century Antique Victorian Brooches
Diamond, Turquoise, Gold
Late 19th Century Dutch Antique Victorian Brooches
Gold, 14k Gold
19th Century British Antique Victorian Brooches
Coral, Diamond, Rose Gold
1890s Antique Victorian Brooches
Diamond, Garnet, Pearl, Ruby, 18k Gold, Silver
Late 19th Century British Antique Victorian Brooches
Diamond, Rose Gold, Silver
1890s French Antique Victorian Brooches
18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
20th Century Italian Victorian Brooches
14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Late 19th Century French Antique Victorian Brooches
Diamond, Pearl, Gold, Platinum
Late 19th Century British Antique Victorian Brooches
Diamond, 18k Gold, Silver
1890s British Antique Victorian Brooches
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Silver
1860s British Antique Victorian Brooches
Diamond, Pearl, Natural Pearl, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Gold
1890s American Antique Victorian Brooches
14k Gold, Sterling Silver
Late 19th Century British Antique Victorian Brooches
Diamond, 15k Gold
Mid-19th Century Antique Victorian Brooches
Diamond, Silver, Gold
1890s Unknown Antique Victorian Brooches
Diamond, Yellow Gold, Silver
1890s English Antique Victorian Brooches
Sterling Silver
1880s British Antique Victorian Brooches
Diamond, Pearl, Ruby, Rose Gold
Early 1900s Unknown Antique Victorian Brooches
Coral, Diamond
1890s Unknown Antique Victorian Brooches
Sterling Silver
1870s Antique Victorian Brooches
Diamond, 18k Gold, Silver, Enamel
Late 19th Century Dutch Antique Victorian Brooches
Pearl, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 1900s French Antique Victorian Brooches
Rock Crystal, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Mid-19th Century Russian Antique Victorian Brooches
Amethyst
Early 1900s French Antique Victorian Brooches
Diamond, 18k Gold
1940s Swiss Vintage Victorian Brooches
Marcasite, Onyx, Silver
19th Century English Antique Victorian Brooches
Diamond, White Diamond, Gold, Silver
1860s Antique Victorian Brooches
Diamond, White Diamond, Ruby, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold, Silver
Early 1900s American Antique Victorian Brooches
Diamond, 14k Gold
Late 19th Century Antique Victorian Brooches
Garnet, Base Metal
1890s British Antique Victorian Brooches
9k Gold, Gold, 18k Gold, Rose Gold, Yellow Gold, 14k Gold
Early 1900s Antique Victorian Brooches
Opal, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
1890s Antique Victorian Brooches
Diamond, Natural Pearl, Ruby, Yellow Gold, Silver
1880s British Antique Victorian Brooches
Coral, 15k Gold
1890s English Antique Victorian Brooches
Rose Gold, Sterling Silver
Late 19th Century British Antique Victorian Brooches
Diamond, Ruby, Gold, Silver
1840s English Antique Victorian Brooches
Natural Pearl, Diamond, Pearl, Gold, Yellow Gold, 18k Gold, Enamel
1860s French Antique Victorian Brooches
Crystal, 18k Gold
Late 19th Century Antique Victorian Brooches
Diamond, Gold
1890s American Antique Victorian Brooches
Pearl, Sapphire, Gold, 14k Gold
1850s British Antique Victorian Brooches
Gold, 15k Gold
1880s Unknown Antique Victorian Brooches
Diamond, Yellow Gold