The 19th and the beginning of the 20st century brought forth unique jewelry in the Netherlands. These golden and silver jewels, sometimes ornamented with diamonds, were worn proudly to demonstrate the wealth of the owner. Not everything was worn in the whole of the Netherlands and many were specifically worn in certain regions, provinces or villages alone.

Gold jewels with small pearls are mostly from coastal regions, the very popular and well-known necklaces of gold and garnet (‘bootjeskettingen’) from Friesland and North Holland while golden hoop earrings were worn by the fishermen around the Zuiderzee (Urk, Volendam) and in Zeeland. These represent a rich and varied heritage of our society, from peasants to rich ship-owners and fishermen, and even more, their wives.