Jewellery is a universal form of adornment. Jewellery made from shells, stones and bones survives from prehistoric times. It is likely that from an early date it was worn as protection from the dangers of life or as a mark of status or rank. In the ancient world, the discovery of how to work metals was an important stage in the development of the art of jewellery. Gold, for example, a rare and highly valued material, was buried with the dead so as to accompany its owner in the afterlife.
Medieval Jewellery 1200-1500
The jewellery worn in medieval Europe reflected an intensely hierarchal and status-conscious society…
Renaissance Jewellery
Renaissance jewels shared the age's passion for splendour. Enamels, often covering both sides of the jewel …
17th Century Jewellery
By the mid-17th century, changes in fashion had introduced new fashions …
18th Century Jewellery
The end of the previous century had seen the development of the brilliant-cut stone, with multiple facets …
19th Century Jewellery
The 19th century was a period of huge social and industrial change, but in the field of jewellery the focus was often on the past …
Art Nouveau Jewellery
The Art Nouveau style caused a dramatic shift of jewellery design, reaching a peak in 1900 at the Paris International Exhibition…
Art Deco Jewellery and after
In spite of the cycle of good times, depression and war, jewellery design…
Contemporary Jewellery
Since the 1960s the boundaries of jewellery have been continually redefined…
The William and Judith Bollinger Gallery
In 2008 the V&A opened its new jewellery gallery, a home for its magnificent collection …
