The Victorian Period (1850-1890) was influenced by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. Seed pearls, shell cameos, strands of pearls, and small colored gemstones were all fashionable for Victorian jewelry. Semi-precious gemstones were used to keep jewelry made for the mass market affordable. Popular were garnet, amethyst, coral, turquoise and opals.

Seed pearl jewelry was popular in the Victorian era, when the tiny pearls were strung on horsehair to form intricate designs and as accents on other jewelry.

Victoria's pride in her ancestry caused a vogue for all things Scottish. Jewelry design incorporated Scottish motifs such as knots, buckles, and heraldic crests using native stones like agate, citrine, cairngorm, and bloodstone.

With Albert's death in 1861, jewelry changed drastically as Victoria adopted "mourning" jewelry to express her grief. Typical materials were jet black onyx, tortoise shell, and horse hair, often set in heavy gold mountings.

Diamonds were also discovered in South Africa in 1867, greatly increasing their accessiblity and affordability. As such diamond jewelry became desirable, especially after the introduction of electric lighting in the 1880s.