Jewelry had been a status symbol of the wealthy
Believe it or not, there’s so much more to choosing a piece of jewelry than simply visual appeal. In fact, the jewelry that you wear says a lot about your personality. The next time you are perusing a collection of beautiful jewelry, such as that found online at Almost Diamonds, take a look at each piece and discover just what it may say about you.
If you have a fun and flirty personality, consider wearing a pair of large hoop earrings. This stylish design is more than just a fad; it is better described as being a classic trend. In addition to looking great, a large pair of hoops will tell others that you are easy-going and have a great sense of fashion.
These days, you cannot flip through a magazine or turn on the television without seeing a circle necklace. In addition to being in style, this popular design says that you are open to new things. Afterall, a circle itself is open by its very design. As with large hoop earrings, sporting a circle necklace lets others know that you have an eye on current fashion trends and can appreciate attention to detail.
Pearls are a classic. They are worn in weddings, to dinner parties and even at work. If you wear pearls, you are conveying a message of elegance and style. Just as the jewelry that you wear, you are letting others know that you believe in honoring the classics.
If what you’re after is a bold look, try wearing a ring with some bling. A bold ring says that you are a bold woman who doesn’t lack in confidence. If you have a strong will and are not afraid to be noticed, a knuckle-to-knuckle design or a ring with a lot of sparkle will be the perfect choice for you.
Did you know that your choice in jewelry may actually help to flatter your figure? We all know that the right belt, princess seams and a complimentary pant style can hide our flaws, but who would’ve guessed that jewelry can do the same? Your choice in accessories is often as important as the apparel that you wear, especially if your goal is to distract away from your problem area(s). If you want to look marvelous in minutes, consider wearing some of your brightest designs in jewelry. A large bracelet or a group of smaller ones will draw attention to your wrist, while a necklace will draw attention to your face. Specifically, a layered look in necklaces, either a multi-strand design or several necklaces worn together, may help to disguise other imperfections as the eyes of others are drawn toward your jewelry and not your figure flaws.
Many people find it hard to believe that the inception of jewelry occurred 100,000 years ago as evidenced by mollusk jewelry found in South Africa. Mollusks are small snails and clams, and their shells were used to fashion this jewelry, although it was no doubt for more functional purposes (such as holding a garment together) than it was for adorning people. In the earliest days, natural material was used, such as animal teeth, shells, bone, wood and stone.
The first period during which jewelry was used extensively to adorn people was the Georgian era beginning in the 1760′s. Larger size jewelry from the past was replaced by delicate smaller forms. It is very difficult to locate jewelry from this period, but jewelry from the Victorian period beginning in the mid 1800′s under the reign of Queen Victoria is a different story. The Victorian era ended in 1901 upon the death of the Queen.
The young Queen, who was crowned at eighteen, not only loved jewelry, but also designed it. In favor were cameos carved of conch shells by Italians. Women were known to travel to Italy to purchase necklaces, earrings, and brooches of cameo designs, and lava jewelry made from colored lava of Mt. Vesuvius. Soon the industrial revolution saw the manufacture of jewelry, and resulted in the end of the hand carving.
The Queen also got credit for the charm bracelet, and had a number of charms designed. She often gave jewelry as gifts to family and friends. Jewelry had been a status symbol of the wealthy, or to accompany fashionable outfits, but the emergence of the middle class created a demand for a larger quantities being produced. Queen Victoria continued to set the trend for other women, and her romantic nature as well as nature itself were reflected in jewelry designed with birds, hearts, butterflies, dragonflies, gemstone embellished flowers, ribbons, and bows. Jewelry containing the hair of both the living and dead was especially popular. Some of these pieces were very intricate in their design. Lockets were also used to hold the hair or pictures of the deceased.
Victoria also preferred serpent designs, a symbol of eternal love, and her engagement ring from Prince Albert in 1840 was a serpent designed with an emerald in its head. Terms of endearment such as “dearest” or “regard” often appeared on engagement rings. A brooch of sapphires and diamonds, a gift from her husband-to-be, adorned her wedding dress. The Queen also favored opals, but other affordable semi-precious stones appealed to the mass market such as amethyst, coral, pearls, turquoise and garnet. Ivory, seed pearls, bog oak, smoky quartz, jasper, agate, enamel, ,petrified wood, marble, as well as gold and silver found in Scottish jewelry were also popular with the public, as tartan plaids became fashionable after the Queen’s children started wearing them.
New finds of gold resulted in creating different methods of gold processing, and gold jewelry became more affordable. Diamonds, because of South Africa diamond mines opening, were also becoming within the reach of the middle class. In 1861, Victoria’s husband Prince Albert died, and so-called mourning jewelry made of black stones such as onyx, jet and black enamel were in vogue. They were commonly worn by relatives of the deceased. Jet was carved into necklaces, earrings, and pins. The suffragette movement was beginning and the black jewelry continued to be fashionable. Sets of jewelry were introduced during this period.
Today Victorian jewelry can be found in antique shops and at estate sales. Some reproductions of the jewelry are also sold as Victorian jewelry still has an allure for the public.
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