Celebrating Colonial American Jewelry

Let’s go back in time and take a look at the jewelry styles that were popular in Colonial America during the 1700s. Some of the styles are popular again, thanks to the series “Turn: Washington’s Spies” on AMC!

How we know what they wore

Much of our historical information regarding the jewelry styles of American colonists comes from the newspapers of that era that have survived the years. Colonial newspapers provide an interesting and accurate account of what colonial Americans sold, bought, wore, lost and had stolen. And like today’s periodicals, colonial newspapers ran advertisements, including many related to jewelry — from sales ads by goldsmiths and silversmiths, to lost and found and stolen property ads by citizens — that offer us a glimpse of the jewelry styles, tastes and interests of our founding fathers and mothers.

Various sources and styles

Colonial jewelry came from various sources, and the result was a melting pot of the cultures convening in the colonies. The Native American Indian tribes were known for their intricate beadwork. They would stitch together thousands of beads made of carved bone and wood, ground coral, shell, turquoise and copper.

Spanish silversmiths and goldsmiths helped introduce metalwork in jewelry, and soon silver and gold earrings, necklaces, and belt and shoe buckles became popular. As more European settlers arrived, the jewelry “shops” of the day became more diverse, offering a cornucopia of gems and one-of-a-kind pieces made and found throughout the colonies, Europe and South America.

Gold and silver jewelry, precious and semiprecious stones, diamonds, rubies, emeralds, topaz, and garnets were highly prized by the colonists — and for the same reasons they are today: they appreciated their beauty and the status and social standing they presented in the community.

Love, loyalty and death

American colonists were interested in the latest jewelry and fashion styles of England, France and other countries, but the geographic distance between the New World of America and Old World Europe made it difficult to stay up on the latest trends. The early colonists instead focused on sentimental jewelry that was relevant to them in their new homes — ones that represented love and loyalty, as well as the specter of impending death.

Based on sales, lost and found and stolen property ads from various colonial newspapers, the jewelry that was popular among the early colonists included silver snuff and tobacco boxes with mother of pearl lids, gold and silver sleeve buttons, brooches with detailed portraits set with gemstones, elaborate silver hilted swords, garnet and crystal three-drop earrings, coral necklaces, silver and gold watches, gold heart lockets set with garnets, and, of course, gold and silver belt buckles. An ornate belt buckle was an essential fashion piece to complete a well-dressed look.

“Heart-in-hand” rings — descended from Roman engagement and wedding rings — were given as tokens of affection by lovers and would-be suitors, while mourning rings adorned with skulls and crossbones were worn as a reminder of one’s mortality in the often-dangerous and inhospitable colonies.

Colonial women loved pearls, and single or multiple-strand necklaces were worn to accentuate the necklines of the popular sacque gowns of the mid-1700s. Instead of a clasp or hook, pearl necklaces were often secured with a bow or ribbon at the back of the neck. Pearls were expensive though, and women who were painted wearing them did not necessarily own them.

See the real things in museums

While many colonial era jewelry pieces have been lost to the ages, we are lucky to have several museums with impressive collections. The Metropolitan Museum of Art has a 19th century American jewelry exhibit. Colonial Williamsburg’s DeWitt Wallace Collections and Conservation Building houses a small but precious sampling of 18th and 19th century jewelry.