“Rich and rare were the gems she wore, And a bright gold ring on her hand she wore…”, as Thomas Moore’s poem goes. Indeed, many of us-both men and women-love wearing jewelry. From simple hair ornaments to luxurious engagement rings, most of us are always adorned with various pieces of jewelry. As such, it is interesting to learn when people start wearing jewelry, as well as the different types of these trinkets. It is also important to know how to buy jewelry given the huge amount of money often involved in the sale of these items.

Jewelries WornRegardless of religion, race, or culture, wearing of jewelry has existed throughout human history. Found in Cro-Magnon dwellings dating to around 40,000 years ago, the earliest artifacts of jewelry were crafted from shells, bones, sinew, mammoth tusks, and mother of pearl. These pieces of jewelry were then worn as simple forms of adornments to the body. However, as man began taking mineral deposits seriously, pieces of jewelry were also begun being embellished with these various forms of mineral deposits. Since then, the function of jewelry has evolved and varied over time.

Different reasons are cited as to why man wears jewelry. One of the simplest explanations is that humans just want to add some kind of decorations to their body. These decorations are further used in order to show the amount of wealth one has and his/her status in society. Jewelry pieces can also be worn as symbols such as the case of wearing engagement rings which represents ones betrothal. Priest and other religious individuals on the other hand wear breastplates to symbolize position in the religious group as well as other spiritual significance. Functional use can also be a purpose of wearing jewelry like in cases of wearing clasps, pins, and buckles. Finally, jewelry pieces can also be for special functions just like the purpose of amulets, prayer jewelry, celibacy vow rings, and signet ring.

As was aforementioned, there are different types of jewelry we wear depending on the purpose we want them to serve. Among the different types of jewelry are hair and head ornaments that include hairpins, fascinators, earrings, and crowns. Necklaces, such as chokers, on the other hand, are a type of jewelry worn around the neck. Alternatively, trinkets worn around the arm include armlets, bracelets, cuff links, and bangles. Rings, such as engagement and wedding rings are examples of jewelry worn on the hand while belly chains, breastplates, and brooches are examples of body jewelry. There are also pieces of jewelry designed to be worn around the legs and on the feet and examples of these are anklets and toe rings. Finally, amulets, prayer jewelry, celibacy vow rings, and signet rings, are examples of jewelry being worn for special functions.

No matter if you are choosing a simple hairpin or a very expensive engagement ring, one always needs to consider a number of things before buying. Learning different jewelry lingo’s and facts such as gold, diamonds, gemstones and metal quality information is one effective way of getting the most for your money. Considering what your budget is and how much you are willing to send for the jewelry you are buying is also important not only in minimizing choosing time but also in deciding the type of jewelry you will be purchasing. Going around shops and comparing quality, prices, and service is also necessary if you want to be able to find the best one that you can buy.

Jewelry pieces from simple trinkets to very expensive engagement rings will always be part of one’s dram no matter where you are and what you believe. The important thing once you decide to purchase is you know what you need to know in order that you’ll get more for your money.

Michelle Mitchell is a jeweler from Newark, California. Ms. Mitchell owns a jewelry shop in the same city and among the best-sellers in her shop are the engagement rings.

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Filed under: Gold Jewelry

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