Victorian Cut Steel : eBay Guides

How to tell the difference between True Victorian Cut Steel and Molded Cut Steel.

Cut steel was produced in the Victorian Era to mimic the shine and glamour of diamonds. Cut steel caught the light and sparkled, and cut steel (and cut steel look-alikes) were very much in demand right up until cut faceted rhinestones became available in the beginning of the 1900s.  Over time, these pieces have become very collectible.

(An example of Victorian Cut Steel - Shoe Buckles)

Cut steel was very expensive, as each little "gem" was cut by hand, and then riveted into place.  A time consuming process, it was still cheaper than diamonds!  But in the later half of the 1800s, Victorians found that stamping a pattern on plates of steel would mimic the look created by the original cut steel pieces.  While both processes produce amazingly brilliant pieces, true cut steel displays little holes along the back side, reflecting the nature of the design, as shown below:

(Our Victorian Shoe Buckle, shown from front and back - See the rivets?)

Cut steel is often difficult to find, because it rusted easily, and pieces like these shoe buckles are particularly desirable due to a shoes regular exposure to the elements.  Items like necklaces and brooches were often worn and kept out of the elements that shoe buckles see on a regular basis.  Collectors must be wary and examine both the front and the back to verify that they are true cut steel, and not the less expensive stamped versions.  Another easy way to tell is to look for tell-tale signs of inconsistencies from gem to gem.  Stamped-type "cut steel" will have all gems facing the same direction or will not have distinct edges to the facets whereas cut steel will have distinctive facets and the gems will not all have the same orientation.

(Notice the different facet orientations?)

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