Cut steel jewellery

[3] In the early 19th century the manufacturing process shifted towards using stamped strips in place of individual steel studs.

[1] The idea behind the design was that the polished steel faces would catch the light and sparkle in a similar way to the then highly fashionable diamonds.

[2] Exactly what was manufactured is poorly documented but by 1761 it included worn items such as buckles and watch chains as well as scissors.

[8] The popularity of cut steel in France may in part have been due to sumptuary laws which limited who could wear precious metals and diamonds.

[10] The quality and use of cut steel jewellery declined throughout the second half of the 19th century with stamped strips replacing individual rivets and pieces becoming increasingly flimsy,[10] the final production ending in the 1930s.

[1] Over the long term cut steel jewellery has proven brittle resulting in relatively small amounts surviving to the present day.