A Burgundian Reliquary Pendant

Jewelry in the Middle Ages was dominated by religious themes, although secular luxury was beginning to gain widespread reception. This Burgundian pendant, which was inherited by Emperor Charles V in the mid-16th century and later owned by an English aristocratic family, perfectly exemplifies the intermingling of religion and secular opulence in the late Middle Ages.  […]

All the City Feels

Exquisite and exhilarating, jewelry creations from the major metropolises of the world all have that endearing je ne sais quoi. Jewelry created in large cities dating back to classical antiquity and advancing well into the 20th century were on display as part of Schmuckmuseum Pforzheim’s exhibition entitled “The Feel of the City – Jewelry from […]

Rise of Constantine the Great

A melting pot of jewelry influences, originating with Constantine the Great and the Eastern Roman Empire in Byzantium to Northern Europe, Southern Europe, the Black Sea, Pannonia and south of the Alps. No matter the location, jewelry has often been a subject of luxurious tastes and aristocracy, imperial courts and honorary gifts of merit, as […]