It glitters and shines, more essential, however, is how it makes us feel. Jewelry can be the ideal polish to a dress or suit or an affirmation about ourselves. We give it as presents, don it as assurances, and admire it in catalogs.
From uncomplicated metal links to detailed gem-studded handiworks, jewelry is splendor we can wear.
Eternal Adornments
For countless generations, we have embellished ourselves. From humble starts of shells and dyed leather, they desired to delight themselves and those who see them with indications of splendor, inventiveness, and beauty.
Rare stones were exchanged for more modest discoveries, and with the advancement of metalwork, gold, silver and platinum gave rise to incredible handiworks.
Creation
For all the delight the wearing, buying and giving of jewelry can bring, for some there is more delight in producing it. Masters of the art work in studios and have production lines of assistants, and offer their handiworks through world-class shops. However, some artisans of smaller scale who bring forth their lovely compositions alone, one by one, and sell them through local shops and online.
Symbolic
Today, many wear jewelry to identify something they feel. Wedding rings represent a couple’s loyalty to each other and the eternal feelings they share. Surgical steel studs and loops tell the public that a punk rocker doesn’t pay attention to other people’s opinions. For many, jewelry expresses a religious significance, whether it is the uncomplicated silver star of a Jew or the bindi of a Hindu woman.
Fashion
For most of us, the most essential aspect of jewelry is its beauty. Radiant gold, dazzling silver, sparkling gems. We purchase it to look complete and gift it to share happiness. Bracelets, earrings, necklaces, rings, whether embellished with gems or not, give us a lift that adds loveliness beyond the adornment itself.
In Western cultures, it is more common for women to wear jewelry for fashion than it is for men. But, there are ample adornments for men and no shortage of men to don them.