Rings
Regency Period and Jane Austen

It's really hard to spot rings in regency films, the actresses and actors are usually moving their hands around, and the camera focuses on their faces. However, if you look at historical records, plus judge the general level of jewelry being worn in other places, it's relatively easy to get an idea of what is going on.

First, the regency period was about natural beauty. People wore very little jewelry. Women wore a thin string of pearls, or perhaps a small cross. Half the time they didn't wear earrings at all, and when they did, they were delicate and simple, perhaps a pearl at each ear. So it is safe to say that they did not have their hands encrusted with tons of gigantic jewels. Instead, they wore very slender, simple jewelry.

I actually own a Regency era ring - from about 1810-1820. It has never been resized, and is a size 7. It features garnets in a forget-me-not shape (also the Maltese Cross shape). Garnet was a loved gem of the era, as was topaz. Jane Austen herself wore a topaz crosss.

Here are images of my ring. According to the seller, the forked shoulder and fluted shank are both typical of the 1810-1820 period.

Note when you search on the web that there was a COMPANY named Regency that made big, gawdy rhinestone designs in the 1950s. This is NOT REGENCY ERA JEWELRY :)

Regency Rings - simple in design
Regency Necklaces - crosses, pearls
Regency Earrings - wire, not posts

Regency Period Information