England’s Prince Regent George, Prince of Wales, later George IV (1762 – 1830) scandalized the nation with his reckless and lavish living habits. He gave an impressive love gift a diamond riviére (a necklace of precious stones, generally set in one strand) to his mistress Elizabeth, Lady Conyngham, who reputedly received gifts of jewels valued at the time in the region of 80,000 pounds.

Click here to read more of this article

Charles II abandoned puritanical austerity following his Restoration to the English throne in 1660. It is not surprising that he wanted to buy sumptuous and fashionable clothes. When he had been a fugitive from the Battle of Worcester in 1651 he been forced to wear ‘nothing but a green coat and a pair of country breeches on and a pair of country shoes, that made him sore all over his feet that he could scarce stir’. On his return he gave himself up completely to luxury and pleasure, adorning his very Frenchified person with sumptuous textiles and jewels.

Click here to read more of this article

If you bring both gold and precious or semi precious stones together skilfully a add a dash of passion, smidgen of sentiment, make them expressive of romance as well as symbolic of true love then you have a ‘tour de force’, a triumph of Cupid’s D’art Love Jewellery, Rome to Renaissance

An important aspect of every human society yet recorded is a belief that gold and gemstones had an enormous effect on the affairs of many. This has not been limited to any age or culture some of the first tokens of human affection were worn as treasured souvenirs.

Click here to read more of this article