A Century of Style: A Jewellery Style Guide Through the Years
Charles Fish Editorial · A Century Of Style
A Century of Style: A Jewellery Style Guide Through the Years
The jewellery we return to most often can become more than an accessory. Over time, it becomes part of how we are remembered.
In 1926, a princess was born who was never expected to be Queen. By 1952, she was wearing the crown.
For the next seventy years, Queen Elizabeth II would become one of the most recognisable figures in the world, not through reinvention, but through consistency. Through small, deliberate choices repeated over time.
The same pearls. The same silhouettes. The same quiet understanding that style is not about change, but about knowing what stays.
As we mark what would have been her 100th year, it’s not just the milestones that remain. It’s the details. The pieces that moved with her through decades, carrying more than just their materials.
Because the jewellery we return to… often tells the real story.
In this story
Table of Contents
The signature
The Pearls — Worn Almost Every Day
A three-strand pearl necklace became one of the most recognisable parts of Queen Elizabeth II’s wardrobe.
Not reserved for ceremony, but worn daily. Through meetings, public appearances, and the kind of routine that, for her, was anything but ordinary.
There was no need to replace it. No need to update it.
Because some pieces don’t lose relevance with time, they settle into it.
Jewellery with intention
The Brooches — Messages Without Saying a Word
Her collection of brooches was vast, but never random.
Each one chosen with intention. Sometimes to mark a moment, sometimes to acknowledge it quietly. A detail that could pass unnoticed, or say everything to those paying attention.
Over time, they became more than accessories. They became part of how she communicated without needing to speak.
Quiet utility
The Watches — Function, Always First
Unlike many royal pieces, her watches were notably understated.
Slim, practical, designed to be worn rather than admired from a distance. They served a function first, and that’s exactly why they lasted.
Because usefulness has a way of outliving novelty.
The pieces that continue
What Gets Passed On
Much of the jewellery she wore didn’t begin with her.
It was inherited, gifted, re-worn. Pieces that had already existed before they became part of her story, and continued long after.
That’s where their meaning sat. Not in when they were made, but in how long they were kept.
Charles Fish · Since 1830
Style lasts when the pieces do.
Trends move quickly. The jewellery we keep tends to move differently — slowly, personally, and often from one generation to the next.
