AlexisKletjian: Gold Game

ON THE BENCH : VICTORIAN HISTORY

12:04 PM

You may have noticed a resurgence in the popularity of snake themed jewelry as of late; February 4th closed the Chinese "Year of the Snake" as we welcomed the horse proudly galloping in to take over. Snakes have been featured everywhere because of their prominent place in history, and there is no sign of this popular motif slowing down any time soon. Antique jewelry featuring snakes is highly collectable, and even more romantic than you may realize. Serpents symbolize wisdom and eternal love. Snakes will long reign supreme with their elegant scales of eternal acceptance since they have been a part of ancient jewelry creations and many other areas of original design.

Possibly one of the earliest serpent engagement rings was Queen Victoria's when she wed her first cousin, Prince Albert, in 1840. Her serpent engagement ring was accented with an emerald set head (also Queen Victoria's birthstone). At the time birthstones were a common gemstone of choice for engagement rings. Victorian jewelry has an ageless beauty, and a nostalgic value as jewelry was fashioned with hidden meanings to tell a story or send messages through the material composition, color, shape, and featured gemstone.

This image of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert was a re-enactment of their vows captured on May 11th, in 1854 by Roger Fenton, a pioneering British photographer. At the time of their wedding, photography was not fully developed as an art form, so they set out to capture their love with a new medium called re-enactment photography. Roger Fenton continued to photograph Queen Victoria throughout her life, and his work became synonymous with the time. If you live on, or happen to visit, the West Coast you are very lucky, for many reasons, but this time because you will be able to see Roger Fenton's work which is currently on loan for the exhibit called A Royal Passion : Queen Victoria and Photography, and on display at the Getty Center in Los Angles through June 8th.

If you have been following me on Instagram you know that I love to capture a moment. Lately I have been feeling nostalgic when I look back on my own amateur photographs. It is fitting that I also currently find myself deeply affected by the enchanting elements and symbolism rendered in antique jewelry.

As for our piece at the jewelers bench above, I find myself attracted to the simplicity of the negative space, yet I admire the beautiful details of the serpent in its eternal shape of love. I am adapting this piece from a cuff link to a one-of-a-kind ring for its new life, while its counterpart is destined to be something entirely different. This ring is a very special piece for me. I wish for it to be my own, as it is difficult for me to part with my creations. However, I want to pass it on to someone who will be as enamored with this snake charmer as I, mainly because it also carries an emotional piece of my own personal history which I will reveal once the ring is complete.

Few people are immune to the classic and timeless allure of Victorian jewelry. I know I am not. The Victorian era is the longest influential period in English history dating 1837 - 1901 in which romanticism had a significant impact on the development of jewelry, which continues to this day.