Rich and glowing as the moon on a summer evening, these two golden crescents are elegantly simple in their design. The woman who wore them when the Roman Empire was at its  More »

Rich and glowing as the moon on a summer evening, these two golden crescents are elegantly simple in their design. The woman who wore them when the Roman Empire was at its height probably gave no thought to the timeless good taste of her jewels. She no doubt chose them to draw subtle attention to her beauty. When we gaze upon these earrings today, we think of that roman lady, whoever she was, and her loveliness is briefly reborn. - (SJ.0428)   « Less

The color of the twilit sky, this exquisite garnet is brought to full perfection by the mellow glow of gold. The love of ornament is as old as civilization itself, and jewels  More »

The color of the twilit sky, this exquisite garnet is brought to full perfection by the mellow glow of gold. The love of ornament is as old as civilization itself, and jewels of gold combined with garnet were especially popular in the classical world. We can only imagine the lovely neck this pendant adorned when Rome ruled the world. Surely that ancient woman was as touched by the beauty of this piece as we are today. Such timeless elegance transcends the ages and unites us directly with a life lived long ago. - (SJ.0510)   « Less

Bold and delicate at the same time, this intriguing necklace would have created as great a sensation in the ancient world as it surely will in the modern one. Its blending of  More »

Bold and delicate at the same time, this intriguing necklace would have created as great a sensation in the ancient world as it surely will in the modern one. Its blending of radiant gold with fiery carnelian is timelessly beautiful. Though the necklace is a modern composite, we can imagine such a jewel adorning one of the great temptresses of history: Cleopatra, Salome or Delilah. The woman who chooses it today must be very sure of her, for it radiates a magic that is eternally feminine. - (SJ.1198)   « Less

Under the influence of Barbarian tastes in the late Roman Empire, the delicate Hellenistic style in jewelry gave way to a bolder mode of ornament. The jewels of this period  More »

Under the influence of Barbarian tastes in the late Roman Empire, the delicate Hellenistic style in jewelry gave way to a bolder mode of ornament. The jewels of this period make powerful visual statements that reflect the social changes affecting the Empire. This splendid bracelet no doubt once adorned the upper arm of a Roman citizen. It is crafted of heavy silver with a central medallion of gold. It depicts a stylized figure with crescent shaped wings. This may well be an angel in the Christian tradition, which had recently triumphed as the official state religion. As we hold this jewel, perhaps slipping it onto our own arm as someone did long ago, we are connected in an intimate way with the glories of a vanished world. - (FJ.0102)   « Less

In Ancient Italy, the wolf was legendary for its courage and nobility. It was a She-Wolf, after all, who had nursed the twins Romulus and Remus when they were abandoned in  More »

In Ancient Italy, the wolf was legendary for its courage and nobility. It was a She-Wolf, after all, who had nursed the twins Romulus and Remus when they were abandoned in the forest. Throughout antiquity, a caged wolf was kept on the Capitoline hill in Rome, and the animal appears in sculpture and on coins. This bronze torque, beautifully patented, was shaped in the classical tradition. It combines a sensitive rendering after nature with a bold necklace shape to create an elegant work of art. To hold it today is to share our admiration with the person who wore it so long ago. - (FJ.0103)   « Less

The art of jewelry-making originated in prehistoric times when primitive people used objects from the animal world—such as horn, shell, and feathers—to adorn  More »

The art of jewelry-making originated in prehistoric times when primitive people used objects from the animal world—such as horn, shell, and feathers—to adorn themselves. Cave paintings and carvings show figures decorated with bracelets, necklaces, and headdresses. Since then many forms of jewelry have evolved, so that there is hardly a part of the body for which an ornamental form has not been created. Arms and legs have been festooned variously with bracelets, rings, shoe buckles, and ankle bracelets; the head with tiaras, earrings, and combs; and the chest and neck with broaches, necklaces, belts, and breastplates. Traditionally jewelry has been a sign of social rank and a symbol, often of luck or good fortune. - (FJ.6721)   « Less

The art of glyptics, or carving images on colored precious stones, is probably one of the oldest known to humanity. Intaglios, gems with an incised design, were made as early  More »

The art of glyptics, or carving images on colored precious stones, is probably one of the oldest known to humanity. Intaglios, gems with an incised design, were made as early as the fourth and third millennia B.C. in Mesopotamia and the Aegean Islands. They exhibit a virtuosity of execution that suggests an old and stable tradition rooted in the earliest centuries. The tools required for carving gems were simple: a wheel with a belt-drive and a set of drills. Abrasives were necessary since the minerals used were too hard for a metal edge. A special difficulty of engraving intaglios, aside from their miniature size, was that the master had to work with a mirror-image in mind.   « Less

This stunning ring is modeled after ancient Roman examples. The elegant abstract forms and decorative motifs of the ring highlight the ancient button without distracting  More »

This stunning ring is modeled after ancient Roman examples. The elegant abstract forms and decorative motifs of the ring highlight the ancient button without distracting attention away from it. At first, the idea of buttons in Roman fashion appears odd, considering Ancient Roman citizens are traditionally portrayed wearing togas. However, a button such as this once would have likely secured an ancient leather garment, perhaps of a type worn by soldiers under their armor. Clearly, this item would have been quite a luxurious piece of clothing to deserve buttons of bronze. The charming rosette patterns that decorate the button reveal that even a formality such as buttons were treated with the same attention to detail as the fabrics themselves. This beautiful ring emulates the enduring taste and style of the Classics and surely would have been just as admired in antiquity as it is today. - (FJ.6976)   « Less

Over two thousand years ago, during the flowering of the Classical era, this simple gold band would have decorated the finger of a wealthy merchant or victorious general.  More »

Over two thousand years ago, during the flowering of the Classical era, this simple gold band would have decorated the finger of a wealthy merchant or victorious general. Gold have always been among the most precious of metals, valued as much for its rarity and for its luminous beauty. Even during the time of Alexander the Great, this undecorated ring would have been instantly appreciated throughout the lands of his kingdom, from the shores of the Adriatic to the banks of the Indus. Gold denominations of coins were some of the most expensive currency traded during the Hellenistic era, thus, for someone to be able to wear, as a piece of jewelry, something of such inherent value, would have been a sign of great wealth, envied by all. We can easily imagine a king bestowing this ring to once of his faithful subjects or donning the ring himself. Although the ring is unadorned, the luxury of the metal speaks for itself. The gold needs no incised patterns to enhance its desirability, for the beauty of the ring is already as overwhelming as its history. - (FJ.6843)   « Less

This massive solid gold ring is a modern mount enclosing the relief bezel from a Hellenistic bronze ring. The ancient piece depicts the portrait bust of a woman wearing a  More »

This massive solid gold ring is a modern mount enclosing the relief bezel from a Hellenistic bronze ring. The ancient piece depicts the portrait bust of a woman wearing a "melon" coiffure that is gathered into a bun at the back of the head. Although these portraits cannot be identified with absolute certainty, it probably is the image of a Hellenistic queen. Would this ring have been worn by an ancient Greek princess? Perhaps her husband or father wore it on one of his fingers to remind him of his loving family. Maybe it was given to the queen as a gift in order to curry her favor. The innate drive to beautify ourselves and our bodies with jewelry, ornaments, and tattoos is as old as humanity itself. Jewelry in the Classical era represents some of the most extraordinary examples of metalworking existing today. The luxurious nature of the precious metals naturally dictated that only a master smith would have work on these creations. This ring is certainly no exception. The artist has managed to capture a convincing, highly detailed portrait of a young lady in a compact composition. Wearing this ring today, one certainly feels like royalty. - (X.0033)   « Less