J.E. Caldwell & Co Jewelry
With intricate and refined artistry, the jewelers at J.E.Caldwell & Co. have been handcrafting illustrious watches and adornments — including cocktail rings, engagement rings and link bracelets — for nearly two centuries. The American firm, which is among the oldest silver and jewelry companies in the United States, has found acclaim with collectors and buyers worldwide.
Born in Poughkeepsie, New York, J.E. Caldwell & Co. founder James Emmott Caldwell (1813–81) apprenticed as a silversmith and subsequently trained in watchmaking under the esteemed watchmaker Samuel Ward Benedict in New York City. Following his apprenticeships, Caldwell sought work in Philadelphia, initially securing a position with a wholesale jeweler before importing watches for a jewelry manufacturer. In the late 1830s, he established a storefront of his own, in a stately marble building on Chestnut street. Caldwell partnered with James M. Bennett thereafter in order to launch a jewelry shop nearby that they called Bennett & Caldwell. With the passing of Bennett, Caldwell partnered with a former employer, John C. Farr, and changed the company name, establishing the J.E. Caldwell & Co. of today.
In 1876, Philadelphia hosted the first World’s Fair held in the United States. Alongside the Gorham Manufacturing Company — a legendary but largely overlooked American silver firm — J.E. Caldwell showcased an array of stunning jewelry and silver objects at the event’s Centennial International Exhibition. In the early 1900s, J.E. Caldwell was contracted to fashion a presentation silver tea service — more than 160 pieces — for a newly commissioned battleship, the U.S.S. Pennsylvania. The brand’s exquisite silver wares traveled at sea aboard this battleship — and later, on the U.S.S. Valley Forge — for decades.
J.E. Caldwell & Co. became known for exquisite Art Nouveau and Art Deco jewelry. Ownership of the firm passed through the family over the years before changing hands to business interests outside of the family. Today a J.E. Caldwell & Co. retail location continues to operate in Philadelphia.
Find antique and vintage J.E. Caldwell & Co. jewelry on 1stDibs.
1940s American Retro Vintage J.E. Caldwell & Co Jewelry
Citrine, Yellow Gold, 18k Gold
1940s Swiss Art Deco Vintage J.E. Caldwell & Co Jewelry
1940s American Retro Vintage J.E. Caldwell & Co Jewelry
Ruby, 14k Gold
1940s American Vintage J.E. Caldwell & Co Jewelry
Diamond, Emerald, Platinum
1930s Vintage J.E. Caldwell & Co Jewelry
Emerald, Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Platinum
1970s Vintage J.E. Caldwell & Co Jewelry
Ruby, Yellow Gold
1940s French Vintage J.E. Caldwell & Co Jewelry
Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
20th Century American J.E. Caldwell & Co Jewelry
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1930s Unknown Victorian Vintage J.E. Caldwell & Co Jewelry
Diamond, Emerald, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1950s Swiss Vintage J.E. Caldwell & Co Jewelry
Steel
21st Century and Contemporary Thai Modern J.E. Caldwell & Co Jewelry
Diamond, Emerald, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
1950s Swiss Vintage J.E. Caldwell & Co Jewelry
Stainless Steel, Steel
1980s American Vintage J.E. Caldwell & Co Jewelry
Diamond, White Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Platinum
1980s American Vintage J.E. Caldwell & Co Jewelry
Diamond, White Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Mid-20th Century Swiss Modern J.E. Caldwell & Co Jewelry
18k Gold
20th Century J.E. Caldwell & Co Jewelry
Yellow Gold
1940s Vintage J.E. Caldwell & Co Jewelry
Diamond, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Platinum
1940s Vintage J.E. Caldwell & Co Jewelry
Diamond, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Platinum
1940s Retro Vintage J.E. Caldwell & Co Jewelry
Diamond, White Diamond, Gold, 14k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
1940s Retro Vintage J.E. Caldwell & Co Jewelry
Diamond, White Diamond, Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow ...
1940s American Retro Vintage J.E. Caldwell & Co Jewelry
Diamond, Emerald, Platinum
1940s American Art Deco Vintage J.E. Caldwell & Co Jewelry
Diamond, Ruby, 14k Gold
1940s American Retro Vintage J.E. Caldwell & Co Jewelry
Ruby, Zircon, 18k Gold
1940s Retro Vintage J.E. Caldwell & Co Jewelry
Ruby, Zircon, 18k Gold
1940s American Vintage J.E. Caldwell & Co Jewelry
Diamond, Ruby, Sapphire, Platinum, 14k Gold
1950s American Vintage J.E. Caldwell & Co Jewelry
Diamond, Sapphire, 14k Gold
1940s American Vintage J.E. Caldwell & Co Jewelry
Diamond, Ruby, 14k Gold