By 1797, the Venetian occupation had brought Italian flair to the Ionian Islands’ jewellery, which at first shared a common origin with the Aegean Islands’ creations. From 1821 onwards, when renowned production centres in Epirus started dying out, a large number of goldsmiths ended up in the Ionian Islands, giving a significant boost to the local jewellery production. By the mid-19th century, a strong preference was shown for pearls, not only due to fashion trends but also because of the magical power attributed to them since ancient times. Head decoration was complemented by artificial flowers that rendered female costumes eye-catching.