No 'buts', 'sometimes', or 'maybes'. Estate jewelry is defined in just one way: jewelry which has been previously owned.

That's a broad term. It could refer to a true antique or to a recently purchased item quickly offered for resale.

For our purposes, we are only discussing estate jewelry which is most available and affordable to U.S. buyers: jewelry dating from the middle of the 19th century on.

With the reign of Queen Victoria, Great Britain, like France, became a major jewelry center. The Industrial Revolution was creating a growing middle class that used jewelry to flaunt its new- found wealth. And with mechanization came the ability to mine precious metals and gemstones as well as to mass produce jewelry.

The romantic image of the young queen and her beloved consort, Prince Albert, influenced styles of her early and mid-reign. Seed pearls, shell cameos, strands of pearls and small colored stones such as garnets, amethysts and topaz were fashionable. With Albert's death in 1861, jewelry changed drastically as Victoria adopted heavy', somber jewelry to express her grief. Typical materials were jet, black onyx, tortoise shell and hair (usually horse hair), often set into heavy gold work.

EDWARDIAN PERIOD: 1901-1914

By the late 19th Century, Victorian sobriety and dignity were challenged by a strong counter-culture movement in all the decorative arts. Art Nouveau burst upon Europe and America alike with its romantic, light-hearted glory -the antithesis not only of its staid predecessor but also a reaction against the imitative, often crude, pieces which were the result of the Industrial Revolution.

Slim, ethereal figures appeared in art and jewelry as well. An Art Nouveau trademark is the head of a girl with a dreamy expression and swirling hair. Dragonflies, with their long delicate wings, and peacocks with their iridescent colors and stylized floral themes, were other expressions of the influences of nature.

While established jewelers continued to use diamonds and pearls in the new, dainty styles, French jeweler Rene Lalique extended his innovative look to ivory, horn, carved glass and enamel. Gemstones like opals and moonstones were often used. One American whose delicate designs and exquisite enameling left a strong impression on the Art Nouveau period was Louis Comfort Tiffany.

The soft tones of Art Nouveau gave way to a brasher, more sophisticated look. Flappers were in -and so was Art Deco! Born in France, Art Deco erupted in the United States at the time when women -who had done men's jobs while the men went off to war -started expressing their new freedom. They bobbed their hair, they smoked and drank in public, they shortened their skirts and they whole-heartedly adopted the flamboyant, geometric styles of Art Deco. 

Streamlined enameled pieces, often in bold colors, enhanced the angular looking clothing and design. Color combinations in gemstones were equally bold and bright. Rubies were set next to emeralds in massive brooches; coral and lapis lazuli or jade were frequently used together.

Luxury production halted in Europe because all platinum and most gold and silver were needed to fund World War II. During this period American jewelry came into its own. Influenced by Hollywood stars, pieces were flamboyant. Huge stones in oversized pieces emerged, often mounted in rose, green and/or yellow gold depending on the makeup of the alloy. After the United States entered the war, what jewelry produced was less romantic but still outsized. This trend continued until after the war when styles again softened.

Individual craftsmanship was not yet on the wane, however. One distinct trend to emerge after World War II was the use of gold. Gold had previously been used in mountings to stress the beauty of other elements of a jewelry piece; now it was being used as the sole element of fine jewelry. Many gold brooches available today, such as simple circle pins or more elaborate animals or flowers, can be traced to the trends of the 1950s.

CHANGES REFLECTED IN STONES AS WELL AS STYLES

The diamond is a good example of a stone that has changed radically in style to reflect new technology and new trends. Diamonds, we know, were worn by the ancients, and many pieces from Roman times, through the Middle Ages and into the 16th century contain large uncut diamonds. They were often cloudy and certainly did little to enhance the beauty of a piece.

The rose-cut dome-shaped diamond, with a flat bottom and triangular facets that come to a point on top, is the earliest example of a stone cut to make it appear more brilliant.

Next came the old mine cut. While it has the same number of facets as the brilliant cuts of today, diamond cutting techniques were less refined, and the glitter that makes a diamond so desirable was just beginning to emerge.

The discovery in 1867, of great diamond deposits in South Africa led to a sharp increase in their use. They were no longer just the possession of royalty. Moreover, with the advent of electricity late in the 19th century, women were encouraged to flaunt these dazzling stones under the illumination of the light bulb. A long-lasting trend in jewelry is the use of a diamond to signify an engagement. What is indeed one of the most effective advertising gimmicks ever created has made the diamond the most popular gemstone in history. And with today's brilliant cuts -58 facets to enhance the rainbow play of colors- the beauty of a diamond cannot be denied.

Nostalgia. Sentiment plays a large part in jewelry selection. In today's chaotic society, people are searching more and more for reminders of past, more stable times. Just as the whole mood of nostalgia continues strong, older jewelry reminds them of those times.