A fascinating example of this is the Cheapside Hoard, the stock of a jeweller hidden in London England during the Commonwealth period and not found again until 1912. It contained Colombian emerald, topaz, amazonite from Brazil, spinel, iolite, and chrysoberyl from Sri Lanka, ruby from India, Afghani lapis lazuli, Persian turquoise, Carmine Sea peridot, as well as Bohemian and Hungarian opal, garnet, and amethyst. Excessive stones were frequently intent in box-bezels on enamelled rings. Notable among merchants of the period was Jean-Baptiste Tavernier, who in the 1660s brought the precursor gem of the Hope Diamond to France.

• A category unique to this period and largely appropriate to the philosophy of romanticism was mourning jewelry

• It originated in England, where Queen Victoria was often seen wearing jet jewelry after the http://www.silverbasement.com dying of Prince Albert; and allowed the wearer to continue wearing jewelry while expressing a state of mourning at the death of a loved one.