I’m late with this post because, well, I’m in Phoenix, going to baseball games, visiting family and friends, and just in general partying.

Though, through it all, I’m writing for an East Valley Authors challenge with my teammate, the talented Alanna Lucas, and I’m taking two online classes, one with the fabulous MM Pollard on clichés (of which I am, if not the Queen, at least one of the Princesses), and another amazing class on Regency Jewelry taught by Diana Welker, a writer and expert on jewelry and gems.

That is my topic for today. Or my optic for today, haha!

If you Google “eye jewelry” you’ll get some disgusting, frightening hits on modern eyeball adornments that I didn’t have the nerve to look at too closely. So instead, Google “Georgian eye jewelry” and you’ll focus in on today’s subject.

The closest I could come to a free image for you is this:

Source: Wikimedia

During the Georgian period, which encompasses the Regency period so beloved by us romance-writers and romance–readers, an interesting development was Eye Jewelry. No piercing required.

Eye miniatures, also called Lovers’ Eyes were miniatures depicting the eye or eyes of a loved one. According to Wikipedia, eye miniatures are believed to have originated with “Prinny”, the Prince of Wales, later the Regent, later George IV.  A painting of only the eye was a perfect gift for a lover preserving the anonymity of the giver, so important when one was having an affair during the Georgian era.

Here’s a link to more images.

I find them, hmmm, a bit strange. What do you think?