Throughout history, jewelry boxes were constructed and designed by craftsmen, one box at a time. With the Industrial Revolution came the concept of mass production, avidly adopted in the United States Tiffany Rings during the late 19th century. For the first time, objects like jewelry boxes, could be cast in quantity, less costly to produce. And, there was now a Middle Class in america, able to purchase decorative items, not just the essentials.

American ladies of the early 1900s aspired to the high style of great cities like London and Paris. Mail order catalogs, Sears, Wards, and Marshall Field, enabled the average family to make purchases from their homes, Tiffany Earrings including jewelry boxes. Jewelry stores also displayed in their windows the latest designs purchased from wholesalers. Jewel boxes were available in all sizes, from the smallest ring box to handkerchief and even glove sized boxes. Their bottoms could be a beautiful as the tops.

Jewel Cases, caskets, and trinket boxes were classified as Art Metal Wares, and were plated in gold, silver, copper or ivory. A popular misconception is that there was iron in the metal. The most common base metals for Tiffany Bracelets jewel boxes were actually spelter or antimonial lead. Almost all alloys used were of metals with low melting points, explaining the broken hinges often seen today.

Manufacturers experimented with many finishes. Most jewel boxes were first electroplated with copper, then finished with gold or silver. Other refinements were French Bronze, Roman Gold, Pompeian Gold, French Gray, Parisian Silver. Around 1911, ivory finishes were introduced, achieved by painting with white enamel, then applying various oxides, resulting in Old Ivory, Oriental Ivory, Tiffany Necklaces Old antique Ivory, and Tinted Ivory. Enamel finished boxes were more lasting than gold or silver boxes.