Posts Tagged ‘Precious Metals’
The Fascinating History of Jewelry
Roberto Sedycias asked:
Man has always loved to be adorned with jewels. This led to jewelry developing as an industry. Jewelry is an ornament, for personal adornment. The word jewelry is an anglicized form of the Latin word, jocale which means plaything history says that about 40,000 years back, the first jewelry was worn by the Cro-Magnons, ancestors of Homo sapiens. Their jewelry included crude necklaces and bracelets made of bone, teeth and stone stitched to animal sinew. Recently excavated 100,000 year-old beads, made from Nassarius shells, are considered to be the oldest known jewelry.
Jewelry, earlier, was made for practical uses such as pinning of clothes together. Nowadays it is used not only for decoration but is also considered as a status symbol. There are different types of jewelry made today. New variations like art jewelry is known for its artistic ingenuity. Art here is valued more than the material. Inexpensive costume jewelry, made from inferior materials and the wire sculpture, made from either base metal wire and stones or precious metals and gemstones, are the other contemporary jewelry of present times.
Many pieces of jewelry, such as brooches were originally made for functional purposes are also symbolic. The Christian Cross or the Jewish Star is indicative of the religious faith that one follows. Married couples sport wedding rings.
In Ancient Egypt jewelry was first made around 3,000 to 5,000 years back. The Egyptians adored the shine, rarity, and workability of gold. The Egyptians had accumulated abundant gold from the deserts of Africa and later acquired more as tributes from captured kingdoms. In Egypt, jewelry soon symbolized power. The affluent class wore it not only in their lifetime but also after death, those were buried with them.
In Mesopotamia, jewelry was manufactured from metal inlaid with bright-coloured stones like agate, lapis, carnelian, and jasper. Their favourite shapes were leaves, spirals, cones, and bunches of grapes. It was created both to adorn humans and statues.
In Greece most of the jewelry was made of gold, silver, ivory, gems, bronze and clay. Later they adopted Asian designs following Alexander`s conquests. Initially influenced by European designs, the advent of the Roman rule in Greece, by 27 BC, brought significant changes.
Though influenced by Roman culture indigenous designs survived. The most common ornament of ancient Rome was the brooch, used to secure their flowing clothes together. They used gold, bronze, bone, glass beads and pearl. About 2,000 years back, they imported sapphires from Sri Lankan and diamonds from India. Emeralds and amber were used too.
The Italians earlier created clasps, necklaces, earrings and bracelets from crude gold. Even large pendants to store perfume were made. Known as the eastern successor of the Romans, the Byzantine Empire continued the Roman tradition though religious symbols became predominant. The people of Byzantine preferred light gold ornaments richly inlaid with gems. jewelry was mainly worn by wealthy ladies while men restricted themselves to a signet ring.
India has the longest continuous tradition of jewelry making. Around 1,500 BC the Indus Valley people made their earrings and necklaces of gold, beads other metals. Womenfolk wore clay and shell bracelets, usually painted black and loved tiaras, chokers, brooches and ear rings .Gradually, clay was replaced by glass and metals.
Jewelry had various functions to serve. Its main purpose, in ancient times, was to ward off evil. People have paid dowries with jewelry. It was also created to be used as currency for trading goods, evident from the use of slave beads. It also was a distinguishing mark between the ruler and the ruled. Asset value is still a consideration today.
Man has always loved to be adorned with jewels. This led to jewelry developing as an industry. Jewelry is an ornament, for personal adornment. The word jewelry is an anglicized form of the Latin word, jocale which means plaything history says that about 40,000 years back, the first jewelry was worn by the Cro-Magnons, ancestors of Homo sapiens. Their jewelry included crude necklaces and bracelets made of bone, teeth and stone stitched to animal sinew. Recently excavated 100,000 year-old beads, made from Nassarius shells, are considered to be the oldest known jewelry.
Jewelry, earlier, was made for practical uses such as pinning of clothes together. Nowadays it is used not only for decoration but is also considered as a status symbol. There are different types of jewelry made today. New variations like art jewelry is known for its artistic ingenuity. Art here is valued more than the material. Inexpensive costume jewelry, made from inferior materials and the wire sculpture, made from either base metal wire and stones or precious metals and gemstones, are the other contemporary jewelry of present times.
Many pieces of jewelry, such as brooches were originally made for functional purposes are also symbolic. The Christian Cross or the Jewish Star is indicative of the religious faith that one follows. Married couples sport wedding rings.
In Ancient Egypt jewelry was first made around 3,000 to 5,000 years back. The Egyptians adored the shine, rarity, and workability of gold. The Egyptians had accumulated abundant gold from the deserts of Africa and later acquired more as tributes from captured kingdoms. In Egypt, jewelry soon symbolized power. The affluent class wore it not only in their lifetime but also after death, those were buried with them.
In Mesopotamia, jewelry was manufactured from metal inlaid with bright-coloured stones like agate, lapis, carnelian, and jasper. Their favourite shapes were leaves, spirals, cones, and bunches of grapes. It was created both to adorn humans and statues.
In Greece most of the jewelry was made of gold, silver, ivory, gems, bronze and clay. Later they adopted Asian designs following Alexander`s conquests. Initially influenced by European designs, the advent of the Roman rule in Greece, by 27 BC, brought significant changes.
Though influenced by Roman culture indigenous designs survived. The most common ornament of ancient Rome was the brooch, used to secure their flowing clothes together. They used gold, bronze, bone, glass beads and pearl. About 2,000 years back, they imported sapphires from Sri Lankan and diamonds from India. Emeralds and amber were used too.
The Italians earlier created clasps, necklaces, earrings and bracelets from crude gold. Even large pendants to store perfume were made. Known as the eastern successor of the Romans, the Byzantine Empire continued the Roman tradition though religious symbols became predominant. The people of Byzantine preferred light gold ornaments richly inlaid with gems. jewelry was mainly worn by wealthy ladies while men restricted themselves to a signet ring.
India has the longest continuous tradition of jewelry making. Around 1,500 BC the Indus Valley people made their earrings and necklaces of gold, beads other metals. Womenfolk wore clay and shell bracelets, usually painted black and loved tiaras, chokers, brooches and ear rings .Gradually, clay was replaced by glass and metals.
Jewelry had various functions to serve. Its main purpose, in ancient times, was to ward off evil. People have paid dowries with jewelry. It was also created to be used as currency for trading goods, evident from the use of slave beads. It also was a distinguishing mark between the ruler and the ruled. Asset value is still a consideration today.
In english, what’s the name of the place where we “craft” jewelry?
arealsexyguy asked:
I’m native french speaker, and I need to know that… When I try to translate “joaillerie” (the french word) with an online translator, it gives me things like jewerly and jewellery, but when I define them on google, it says : “an adornment (as a bracelet or ring or necklace) made of precious metals and set with gems (or imitation gems)”. So it seems it’s more about the “art” or the “product”… I need to know about the place to craft them.. ( in comparison, the place to craft an armor or a sword would be the forge, etc.. )
I’m native french speaker, and I need to know that… When I try to translate “joaillerie” (the french word) with an online translator, it gives me things like jewerly and jewellery, but when I define them on google, it says : “an adornment (as a bracelet or ring or necklace) made of precious metals and set with gems (or imitation gems)”. So it seems it’s more about the “art” or the “product”… I need to know about the place to craft them.. ( in comparison, the place to craft an armor or a sword would be the forge, etc.. )
Jewelry – the Symbol of Status and Wealth
Roberto Sedycias asked:
The word jewelry is derived from Latin word jocale, means plaything. But it is the most ancient form of body ornamentation. In ancient times, jewelry was used to be made from bone, animal teeth, shells, wood, carved stones, etc. A specific piece was made for each part of the body. Apart from functional use, jewelry was a symbol of wealth, status and membership. It had been used to move wedding dowries, to keep large amount of wealth or to just for artistic display.
With the growing influx of designer or art jewelry, people not only love to wear it but also don`t mind spending lavishly on it. Such designs are made with coins, gemstones, precious stones, etc. and they are set into precious metals like gold, silver, platinum, or white gold. These days most of the gold jewelry is made of an alloy of gold, stating its purity in karat by displaying a number followed by K.
American gold jewelry are of 10 K which is 41.7% gold. Higher purity levels are 22K which is 91.6 % pure and 24K which is 99.9% pure and these levels are used in Asia, Middle East and Africa. For silver jewelry, silver sterling or 92.5% fine silver is used. Besides, the low-priced jewelry is also available. Such jewelries are made with glass, semiprecious stones, wood, shells, bone, ivory, etc. Beads, made of glass, gemstones, metals, clay, polymer clay and wood, are also used to make bracelets, necklaces, earrings, and rings.
Among the precious stones, diamonds are said to be the best friends of women. There are other gemstones also like amethyst, ruby, emerald, etc. These gemstones are set into gold, silver and platinum with different techniques to get different finishing such as high-polished or matt. Brushed finishing gives jewelry a soft look, while hammered finishing gives a wavy texture.
Jewelry posed different significance for different cultures. Like in Rome, people with certain ranks were allowed to wear rings. In other case, during 19th and 20th centuries, wearing of earrings by men was considered effeminate. According to recent culture, piercing of body and wearing rings there has become a symbol of courage, while other cultures are against it. Wearing of jewelry has got religious importance too. According to Hinduism, married women should wear necklace of golden and black beads, whereas in Islam, men should wear gold.
The history of jewelry dates back to thousands of years. The first signs of jewelry were found, 40,000 years back, in Cro-Magnons who originated from Middle East and migrated to Europe. They used to make jewelry with bones, teeth, stone hung etc. Copper jewelry traces back to 7000 years. In ancient Egypt, jewelry making is 3000- 5000 years old. They preferred gold to other materials and used colored glass in place of gems. Then the signs of jewelry found in other places too like Mesopotamia, Greece, Italy, India, and China and all over.
The trend of modern jewelry started in 1940s at the end of World War II. George Jensen and other designers propogated the idea of wearable jewelry using different materials like Precious Metal Clay, plastics, semi precious stones, and coloring techniques. Artisans also played important role in setting trends in jewelry. Now the jewelry designing has become a source of money and to satisfy the passion of art.
According to recent studies, American market holds the largest place with a market share of 30.8%, Japan, India and China and the Middle East each with 8 – 9% and finally Italy with 5%. Also it is predicted that there will be dramatic change in the statistics of market share by 2015, having India and China in the topmost position.
The word jewelry is derived from Latin word jocale, means plaything. But it is the most ancient form of body ornamentation. In ancient times, jewelry was used to be made from bone, animal teeth, shells, wood, carved stones, etc. A specific piece was made for each part of the body. Apart from functional use, jewelry was a symbol of wealth, status and membership. It had been used to move wedding dowries, to keep large amount of wealth or to just for artistic display.
With the growing influx of designer or art jewelry, people not only love to wear it but also don`t mind spending lavishly on it. Such designs are made with coins, gemstones, precious stones, etc. and they are set into precious metals like gold, silver, platinum, or white gold. These days most of the gold jewelry is made of an alloy of gold, stating its purity in karat by displaying a number followed by K.
American gold jewelry are of 10 K which is 41.7% gold. Higher purity levels are 22K which is 91.6 % pure and 24K which is 99.9% pure and these levels are used in Asia, Middle East and Africa. For silver jewelry, silver sterling or 92.5% fine silver is used. Besides, the low-priced jewelry is also available. Such jewelries are made with glass, semiprecious stones, wood, shells, bone, ivory, etc. Beads, made of glass, gemstones, metals, clay, polymer clay and wood, are also used to make bracelets, necklaces, earrings, and rings.
Among the precious stones, diamonds are said to be the best friends of women. There are other gemstones also like amethyst, ruby, emerald, etc. These gemstones are set into gold, silver and platinum with different techniques to get different finishing such as high-polished or matt. Brushed finishing gives jewelry a soft look, while hammered finishing gives a wavy texture.
Jewelry posed different significance for different cultures. Like in Rome, people with certain ranks were allowed to wear rings. In other case, during 19th and 20th centuries, wearing of earrings by men was considered effeminate. According to recent culture, piercing of body and wearing rings there has become a symbol of courage, while other cultures are against it. Wearing of jewelry has got religious importance too. According to Hinduism, married women should wear necklace of golden and black beads, whereas in Islam, men should wear gold.
The history of jewelry dates back to thousands of years. The first signs of jewelry were found, 40,000 years back, in Cro-Magnons who originated from Middle East and migrated to Europe. They used to make jewelry with bones, teeth, stone hung etc. Copper jewelry traces back to 7000 years. In ancient Egypt, jewelry making is 3000- 5000 years old. They preferred gold to other materials and used colored glass in place of gems. Then the signs of jewelry found in other places too like Mesopotamia, Greece, Italy, India, and China and all over.
The trend of modern jewelry started in 1940s at the end of World War II. George Jensen and other designers propogated the idea of wearable jewelry using different materials like Precious Metal Clay, plastics, semi precious stones, and coloring techniques. Artisans also played important role in setting trends in jewelry. Now the jewelry designing has become a source of money and to satisfy the passion of art.
According to recent studies, American market holds the largest place with a market share of 30.8%, Japan, India and China and the Middle East each with 8 – 9% and finally Italy with 5%. Also it is predicted that there will be dramatic change in the statistics of market share by 2015, having India and China in the topmost position.