November 2, 2026

Few pieces of jewelry have a working history as long as the brooch. Before it was decorative, it was practical, and that mix of function and beauty is part of why it keeps coming back. From Fastener to Keepsake The brooch began as the “fibula,” a pin-and-clasp device used in the Bronze Age and later across ancient Greece and Rome to hold cloaks and garments closed. Over time, the fastener became a canvas for craftsmanship. In early medieval Ireland, metalworkers created pieces like the “Tara” Brooch, made around 700 AD from cast and gilded silver with gold filigree, amber, and