Baubles from this period were often steeped in sentimental value. Noblemen would gift their beloved acrostic ornaments with hidden messages that spelt out words such as “Regard”, “Forever” and “Love” when the gems were placed a certain way. Also prevalent was the custom of wearing mourning jewellery—an example of this can be seen on the young Lady Danbury (Arsema Thomas) after her husband’s death. These bereavement jewels were made of black materials such as jet, onyx, black enamel, and black rubber extracted from trees in Southeast Asia.

Paste jewellery are pieces made with cut glass that are designed to look like real gemstones, and they were common in the Georgian and Regency periods. The wealthy, fearing robbery on long journeys, would wear paste jewellery in place of their more expensive pieces, and paste jewellery was often crafted by the same jewellers who worked with real gemstones, so it wouldn’t have been unrealistic for paste jewels to look, at a glance, as good as the real thing. If you remember, season two of Bridgerton included a subplot involving a fake ruby necklace made of glass that successfully fooled many—including a jewellery expert, albeit only based on the naked eye alone and the ruse didn’t last long thereafter.

Sought after for its perceived protective powers, coral was a popular choice during the Georgian and Regency eras. Countless portraits from these periods show its subjects, who were sometimes even children, wearing coral necklaces, bracelets and amulets to ward off evil. Coral’s bright hue also became symbolic of one’s good health in artworks from this time period. In one scene from Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story, the young queen wears a parure of red stones, which can be interpreted as a nod to these eras’ fondness for wearing coral.

Be it tiaras, crowns or hair ornaments featuring outrageous ostrich feathers, the headdresses of Georgian and Regency eras reached towering heights, and were often paired with elaborate coiffure in the form of tight ringlets, exaggerated waves and romantic curls. The costume designers of Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story pay homage to the vertically imposing headgear of history through similarly intricate headdresses worn by the ladies of the ton. Our favourite were Queen Charlotte’s wedding tiara and the majestic gem-studded crown she wore at King George’s coronation.

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