When Was My Jewelry Made?

The term patent refers to a grant made by a government that confers upon the creator
of an invention sole right to make, use, and sell that invention for a set period of time.

Each piece is identified by a patent date, a patent number and/or a patent design number.
These make it easy for  todays' collectors to determine how old a piece in their collection is.
If you have a number, which can be found on the back of jewelry using a loupe or a magnifying
glass, then the question of  "when was it made" can be determined using the following tables.
Here's how: Find your number under Patent Numbers, then look under Pat.Date for the year.

Georgian, Pre 1837

Pat. Date       Patent Numbers

1836:                      1  -       109
1837:                  110  -        545
1838:                  546  -     1,105
1839:               1,106  -     1,464
1840:               1,465  -     1,922
1841:               1,923  -     2,412
1842:               2,413  -     2,900
1843:               2,901  -     3,394
1844:               3,395  -     3,872
1845:               3,873  -     4,347
1846:               4,348  -     4,913
1847:               4,914  -     5,408
1848:               5,409  -     5,992
1849:               5,993  -     6,980

Victorian 1850 - 1900

Pat. Date      Patent Numbers

1850:               6,981  -     7,864
1851:               7,865  -     8,621
1852:               8,622  -     9,511
1853:               9,512  -   10,357
1854:             10,358  -   12,116
1855:             12,117  -   14,008
1856:             14,009  -   16,323
1857:             16,324  -   19,009
1858:             19,010  -   22,476
1859:             22,477  -   26,641
1860:             26,642  -   31,004
1861:             31,005  -   34,044
1862:             34,045  -   37,265
1863:             37,266  -   41,046
1864:             41,047  -   45,684
1865:             45,685  -   51,783
1866:             51,784  -   60,657
1867:             60,658  -   72,958
1868:             72,959  -   85,502
1869:             85,503  -   98,459
1870:             98,460  -  110,616
1871:           110,617  -  122,303
1872:           122,304  -  134,503
1873:           134,504  -  146,119
1874:           146,120  -  158,349
1875:           158,350  -  171,640
1876:           171,641  -  185,812
1877:           185,813  -  198,732
1878:           198,733  -  211,077
1879:           211,078  -  223,210
1880:           223,211  -  236,136
1881:           236,137  -  251,684
1882:           251,685  -  269,819
1883:           269,820  -  291,015
1884:           291,916  -  310,162
1885:           310,163  -  333,493
1886:           333,494  -  355,290
1887:           355,291  -  375,719
1888:           375,720  -  395,304
1889:           395,305  -  418,664
1890:           418,665  -  443,986
1891:           443,987  -  466,314
1892:           466,315  -  488,975
1893:           488,976  -  511,743
1894:           511,744  -  531,618

Art Nouveau 1985 - 1910

Pat. Date      Patent Numbers

1895:           531,619  -  552,501
1896:           552,502  -  574,368
1897:           574,369  -  596,466
1898:           596,467  -  616,870
1899 :          616,871  -  640,166
1900 :          640,167  -  664,826

Edwardian 1901 -1910

Pat. Date      Patent Numbers

1901:           664,827  -  690,384
1902:           690,385  -  717,520
1903:           717,521  -  748,566
1904:           748,567  -  778,833
1905:           778,834  -  808,617
1906:           808,618  -  839,798
1907:           839,799  -  875,678
1908:           875,679  -  908,435
1909:           908,436  -  945,009
1910:           945,010  -  980,177
1911:           980,178  -  1,013,094
1912:        1,013,095  -  1,049,325
1913:        1,049,326  -  1,083,266
1914:        1,083,267  -  1,123,211
1915:        1,123,212  -  1,166,418
1916:        1,166,419  -  1,210,388
1917:        1,210,389  -  1 ,251,457
1918:        1,251,458  -  1,290,026
1919:        1,290,027  -  1,326,898

Art Deco 1920 - 1930

Pat. Date   Patent Numbers

1920:        1,326,899  -  1,364,062
1921:        1,364,063  -  1,401,947
1922:        1,401,948  -  1,440,361
1923:        1,440,362  -  1,478,995
1924:        1,478,996  -  1,521,589
1925:        1,521,590  -  1,568,039
1926:        1,568,040  -  1,612,699
1927:        1,612,700  -  1,654,520
1928:        1,654,521  -  1,696,896
1929:        1,696,897  -  1,742,180
1930:        1,742,181  -  1,787,423
1931:        1,787,424  -  1,839,189
1932:        1,839,190  -  1,892,662
1933:        1,892,663  -  1,941,448
1934:        1,941,449  -  1,985,877

Art Moderne 1935 -1945

Pat. Date   Patent Numbers

1935:        1,985,878  -  2,026,515
1936:        2,026,516  -  2,066,308
1937:        2,066,309  -  2,104,003
1938:        2,104,004  -  2,142,079
1939:        2,142,080  -  2,185,169
1940:        2,185,170  -  2,227,417
1941:        2,227,418  -  2,268,539
1942:        2,268,540  -  2,307,006
1943:        2,307,007  -  2,338,080
1944:        2,338,081  -  2,366,153
1945:        2,366,154  -  2,391,855
1946:        2,391,856  -  2,413,674
1947:        2,413,675  -  2,433,823
1948:        2,433,824  -  2,457,796
1949:        2,457,797  -  2,492,943

Modern Jewelry 1950

Pat. Date   Patent Numbers

1950:        2,492,944  -  2,536,015
1951:        2,536,016  -  2,580,378
1952:        2,580,379  -  2,624,045
1953:        2,624,046  -  2,664,561
1954:        2,664,562  -  2,698,433
1955:        2,698,434  -  2,728,912
1956:        2,728,913  -  2,775,761
1957:        2,775,762  -  2,818,566
1958:        2,818,567  -  2,866,972
1959:        2,866,973  -  2,919,442
1960:        2,919,443  -  2,966,680
1961:        2,966,681  -  3,015,102
1962:        3,015,103  -  3,070,800
1963:        3,070,801  -  3,116,486
1964:        3,116,487  -  3,163,864
1965:        3,163,865  -  3,226,728
1966:        3,226,729  -  3,295,142
1967:        3,295,143  -  3,360,799
1968:        3,360,800  -  3,419,906
1969:        3,419,907  -  3,487,469
1970:        3,487,470  -  3,551,908
1971:        3,551,909  -  3,631,538
1972:        3,631,539  -  3,707,728
1973:        3,707,729  -  3,781,913
1974:        3,781,914  -  3,858,240
1975:        3,858,241  -  3,930,270
1976:        3,930,271  -  4,000,519
1977:        4,000,520  -  4,065,811
1978:        4,065,812  -  4,131,951
1979:        4,131,952  -  4,180,866
1980:        4,180,867  -  4,242,756
1981:        4,242,757  -  4,308,621
1982:        4,308,622  -  4,366,578
1983:        4,366,579  -  4,423,522
1984:        4,423,523  -  4,490,884
1985:        4,490,885  -  4,562,595
1986:        4,562,596  -  4,633,525
1987:        4,633,526  -  4,716,593
1988:        4,716,594  -  4,794,651
1989:        4,794,652  -  4,890,334
1990:        4,890,335  -  4,980,926

Pat. Date     Patent Design Numbers

1836 - 1850 : 
1850 - 1860 :           260 -      1,180
1860 - 1870 :        1,180 -      3,810
1870 - 1875 :        3,810 -      7,970
1875 - 1880 :        7,970 -    11,570
1880 - 1885 :      11,570 -    15,680
1885 - 1890 :      15,680 -    19,550
1890 - 1895 :      19,550 -    23,900
1895 - 1900 :      23,900 -    32,000
1900 - 1905 :      32,000 -    37,280
1905 - 1910 :      37,280 -    40,400
1910 - 1015 :      40,400 -    46,800
1915 - 1920 :      46,800 -    54,360
1920 - 1925 :      54,360 -    66,350
1925 - 1930 :      66,350 -    80,250
1930 - 1935 :      80,250 -    94,299
1935 - 1940 :      94,299 -  118,360
1940 - 1945 :    118,360 -  140,000
1945 - 1950 :    140,000 -  156,700
1950 - 1960 :    156,700 -  187,000
1960 - 1970 :    187,000 -  216,400
1970 - 1980 :    216,400 -  253,800
1980 - 1990 :    253,800 -  305,280