Jewellery Trends of the Past the Elegant 1950s

Jewellery may be a timeless investment, but its shapes, sizes and styles have shifted countless times across the decades. Looking back at the trends of the past is a wonderful way to understand the vintage and antique pieces you find today, and to draw inspiration for your own collection. This is the start of our series on jewellery trends of the past, beginning with the elegant, ladylike 1950s, with help from the antique specialists of Hatton Garden, London's diamond quarter in the EC1N postcode.

The Elegant Style of the 1950s

The 1950s is universally associated with traditional style and wholesome values, so it is no surprise that its jewellery was prim and pretty rather than wild or rebellious. The look was polished, feminine and carefully co-ordinated.

Conventional precious metals such as gold were used to create simple, understated pieces for daytime wear. Women would then save their more valuable items, often set with diamonds or pearls, for the evening and special occasions.

This daytime-to-evening distinction defined how jewellery was worn throughout the decade.

The Rise of Costume Jewellery

In the latter half of the 1950s, costume jewellery surged in popularity, bringing a far greater range of colours and cuts to the market. Affordable and fashionable, it allowed women to follow trends without the cost of fine pieces.

Costume jewellery was almost always sold as a matching set, so earrings, necklace and bracelet could be co-ordinated with minimal effort and maximum impact. It was style made accessible to all.

This matched, polished look complemented the clean lines and pencil skirts that dominated 1950s fashion, completing the decade's signature silhouette.

Fun fact: The 1950s vogue for matching jewellery sets, known as parures, revived a fashion that had been popular among European aristocracy more than a century earlier.

Finding 1950s Style Jewellery Today

The clean, elegant pieces of the 1950s remain hugely wearable, which is why genuine vintage examples are so sought after. A simple gold brooch or a matched set of pearls instantly evokes the decade's refined glamour.

Hatton Garden, with its many specialists in antique jewellery, is one of the best places to find vintage and heirloom pieces. Buying from an expert ensures you understand the age and quality of what you are acquiring.

If you love the 1950s aesthetic, pay a visit to the antique jewellers of the quarter, and look out for the next instalment in our journey through jewellery trends of the past.

Browse the whole series: 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s and 1990s.