Decorated and Decorative Jewelry
by Giovanni Supagrillo
http://www.jewelrybystar.com
Jewelry is defined as article used for adornment to look
beautiful. The ornaments used for this purpose can be rings,
necklaces, bracelets, earrings or ankle bracelets. These are
made of precious or semi precious stones and gems.
Some times imitations are also used instead of real gems.
Other materials such as nuts, feathers, bone, shells,
seeds, berries, ivory and metals also find their use in
the making of jewelry. Silver and bronze were the metals
that were used the most by the people in primitive age to
make jewelry. In modern times they are used in wrought
jewelry. However, it is gold that is more popular metal
for making jewelry. Jewelry itself is beautified by
processes like etching, engraving, filigree and graving
in which stones and gems are embedded in them.
Jewelry has been worn by young and old for a long time.
Discoveries have given some 75000 years old parts of
ornaments. One such instance is the discovery of very small
shell beads having grooves in them that tell the story that
once upon a time they were hung around somebody's neck or
arm in the form of necklace or bracelet respectively. These
were located in the caves of South Africa. East Asia gave a
complete new look to the art of making jewelry as it used
its enormous wealth to embellish the ornaments. From then on
pearls and stones were used in the jewelry. Antiques found
in Egypt reveal the unique craftsmanship used to make
jewelry in the ancient times. This jewelry consisted of
colorful flowers, scarab motifs and was exemplary.
In middle ages, big and heavy jewelry was used like big
girdles and brooches. Superstition too led people to adorn
some ornaments like amber was put on to ward off evil eye
and spirit. Glass beads came about in the 14th century.
Renaissance brought along modern method of making jewelry.
Skilled artisans and artists now started designing jewelry.
Jewelry used thereafter was more magnificent. Pendants
having gems and enamels of other metals were worn in chains
and necklaces. Men started using embellished collars having
precious stones in them. The designs were not refined until
the lapidary and the mounters took over in the 17th century.
Towards the end of the 17th century imitations of pearls
were introduced and gave way to cheap and easily affordable
jewelry.
With the advent of the twentieth century, the old style of
making and wearing jewelry completely gave way to factory
made jewelry, costume jewelry and hand wrought jewelry that
were worn not according to one's status but by matching them
with the dresses and the attires.
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