Vendor Spotlight: Whitehouse Brothers

If you love romance, vintage settings and embellishments, and dazzling stones, then Whitehouse Brothers is for you!

Vendor Spotlight: Whitehouse Brothers

It's my pleasure to share with you Whitehouse Brothers in our latest vendor spotlight series. Their work is second-to-none and, if you ever have the privilege of owning one of their pieces, get ready to make a beautiful statement wherever you go while wearing it! You will love it and so will everyone else. Whitehouse Brothers jewelry with its fine details and exquisite motifs will get you noticed!

All About Whitehouse

Whitehouse Brother's specialty is vintage-style, Edwardian-era engagement rings and wedding bands--they have been manufacturing their gorgeous engagement rings and wedding bands since 1898, so you can say they have "some" experience in this area! And you want a jeweler that knows what they're doing when it comes to this type of jewelry...

If you know anything about the Edwardian era of jewelry, you know that it is breathtakingly beautiful and full of details. Jewelry from this period was light, feminine, and delicate. While diamonds were used extensively, they weren't afraid to use other jewels too, such as sapphires, aquamarines, and electric green demantoid garnets.

Milgraining, a new type of jewelry decoration, came about as well during the Edwardian era. It means a thousand grains and is a small border of platinum beads set around the edges of a piece of jewelry that gives it an incredibly elegant look. And you'll see this technique featured in many of the Whitehouse Brothers' rings.

Platinum was another star during the Edwardian Era since it was newly available and allowed for more intricate designs. Because of the incredible strength of platinum, jewelers were able to make much more detailed pieces. And the Whitehouse Brothers' master craftsmen know how to work with platinum!

The Art Noveau Period has also influenced their work with its incredibly expressive designs. The Art Noveau Period was a bit of an artistic revolt against the norms of the day and focused on nature, birds, and more free form design. Although this era was short-lived, its influence was most definitely not! The jewelry and art from the Art Noveau Era signaled a shift from the "stuffy"  mass produced style of the Victorian era. The designs were cutting-edge and very creative, focusing on fluid, sinuous lines and soft curves.

European Craftsmanship Made in America

In 1898, the brothers, William and Joseph Whitehouse, founded Whitehouse Brothers Inc. in Cincinnati, Ohio. During this period, the Ohio Valley was filled with immigrants who had a rich history of the jewelry trade from Germany. Many German jewelers came to Ohio with the promise of a job at Whitehouse Brothers and several of the artisans stayed with the company for over 40 years! Now that's a legacy!

Today, the majority of  Whitehouse Brothers rings created are the original designs brought from Europe and adapted in Cincinnati. It's definitely like wearing history on your finger...

Thanks to the influence of the Edwardian periods and Art Nouveau,  popular themes in Whitehouse Brothers' jewelry includes floral motifs, organic patterns,  and interwoven asymmetric flowing lines.  Architectural elements can be seen as well throughout their work.

We're honored that Mullen Bros. Jewelers ranks #1 in overall customer ratings among all jewelry retailers in our community and we will continue to take care of our neighbors and friends, one jewel at a time!