Victorian Watches
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.
1930s Swiss Vintage Victorian Watches
Diamond, White Gold
Early 1900s American Antique Victorian Watches
Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold
Early 1900s Swiss Antique Victorian Watches
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1910s American Vintage Victorian Watches
Silver, Enamel, Sterling Silver
1920s Swiss Vintage Victorian Watches
Silver
Early 20th Century Victorian Watches
Diamond, Sapphire, 9k Gold, Platinum
Early 20th Century French Victorian Watches
Diamond, 18k Gold
20th Century Swiss Victorian Watches
18k Gold
1910s Swiss Vintage Victorian Watches
Silver
1950s American Vintage Victorian Watches
Early 20th Century Victorian Watches
19th Century Antique Victorian Watches
Diamond, Gold, Silver, Enamel
1930s Swiss Vintage Victorian Watches
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Mid-20th Century Swiss Victorian Watches
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century Victorian Watches
Silver, Sterling Silver
1920s Unknown Vintage Victorian Watches
Silver
Mid-20th Century North American Victorian Watches
Gold-filled, White Gold
Late 20th Century Swiss Victorian Watches
Diamond, Gold, Gold Plate, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1940s Swiss Vintage Victorian Watches
Mid-20th Century German Victorian Watches
Diamond, White Diamond, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 20th Century Swiss Victorian Watches
Silver
1910s Unknown Vintage Victorian Watches
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1980s American Vintage Victorian Watches
Sterling Silver
Early 1900s Swiss Antique Victorian Watches
Diamond, Pearl, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel
Early 1900s American Antique Victorian Watches
Early 20th Century Victorian Watches
Diamond, 14k Gold
1910s Swiss Vintage Victorian Watches
Sterling Silver
1940s English Vintage Victorian Watches
18k Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century British Victorian Watches
Silver
Early 1900s American Antique Victorian Watches
Diamond, Gold
20th Century Unknown Victorian Watches
Pearl, Ruby, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold