The Chatelaine goes hand in hand with the best jewelry memories. A Chatelaine can be described as the ancestor of Body chains. It consisted in a belt hook or clasp worn at the waist with a series of chains suspended from it. If you want to capture people’s attention with a striking and vintage piece of jewelry, a Chatelaine will be your new best friend.
The most famous story about ‘Chatelaine’ began in 1860 and ended around the 19th century. This type of belt-chain was very popular back then. The ‘Chatelaine’ caused a sensation among housewives in the 19th century, and also among the wealthy knights, who used to wear a ‘Chatelaine’ to hang their mechanical watches.
The word ‘Chatelaine’ come from the French ‘Châtelaine’, which is an ordinary term that refers to a device with the necessary tools used by housewives. But, the complete history of ‘Chatelaine’ goes back many centuries.
In ancient Rome, women used to wear Chatelaine chains on their heads to hang all sorts of objects, such as ear scoops, nail cleaners and tweezers. In Britain, women wore ‘chatelaine brooches’ from which toilet sets were suspended.
From an ordinary tool, the ‘Chatelaine’ had, at the end of the 19th century, its first moments as an appreciated piece of jewelry. The ladies of the time began to replace the nail cleaners and other tools for embroidery, perfumes, gems, and even poison.
The first precious samples of ‘Chatelaine’ were made in silver, bronze, copper, and precious stones, and they were quite different from first and more rustic ‘Chatelaine’ models used before.
There are two types of ‘Chatelaine’. The most popular one has a medallion in the center, from which a metal hook is linked to the belt. However, the American ‘Chatelaine’ is characterized by a wide brooch with a small pin on the back.
The popularity of the mechanical watches was essential for the wide use of ‘Chatelaine’. Many men of the time used it to carry their useful tools. Some were even personalized with small medallions containing family photos inside.
The most up-to-date versions of ‘Chatelaine’ look as incredible as its older versions. Some ‘Chatelaine’ are kept in museums around the world, for their preservation and historical value. Undoubtedly, the legacy of the ‘Chatelaine’ represents a bulwark for the use of jewelry, meaning much more than an ephemeral trend. Jewelry Trends. (February 18, 2017)
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