In today’s society, jewellery is seen as a very popular body accessory. Worn by men and women of all ages, it has become the most popular form of body art. It can also be used to display wealth or to show a membership status in the form of a badge for example. There are many different types of jewellery ranging from rings, bracelets, earrings etc, which has led to it becoming one of the most profitable industries worldwide.
Being made from precious metals, many forms of jewellery can be quite expensive. For example, if you were to purchase a full carat diamond ring, it may be that it costs thousands of pounds to purchase. This is because of the demand for such items being so high; the seller can set its prices accordingly.
As with many popular products, there will be cheaper alternatives. However, usually, with jewellery, the difference in quality between an expensive item and a cheaper one would be noticeable to the buyer.
Similar to ancient times, much of the jewellery worn in today’s society carries come kind of symbolic meaning. A perfect example of this is the engagement ring. The single diamond in an engagement symbolises both a promise and something that is a rarity, Other jewellery that has a symbolic meaning is the wedding ring, eternity rings etc.
In earlier times, jewellery was made from natural materials such as bone, wood and stone. The history of jewellery is quite interesting in that it is one of the oldest forms of body ornaments and was originally used for more practical ways such as pinning clothes.
Jewellery was also used as a symbol of wealth, status and to protect against harm. May believed that it could warn away evil and heal ailments. It was also used to decorate virtually every part of the body and has been made out of almost every material known to mankind.
Major jewellery making began with the ancestors of the ‘Cro-Magnons’ over 40,000 years ago. This was during a time when were migrating to Europe from the Middle East. The ‘Cro-Magnons’ eventually replaced the ‘Neanderthals’ as the dominant specie. Jewellery from this period includes necklaces and bracelets made of bone, teeth and shells.
The Romans loved wearing jewellery crafted from gold and gems. Unlike other cultures, they not only wore jewellery to show their wealth, but because it looked nice.
