Introduction to Jewellery

Jewellery represents a group of fashion accessories, often associated with glamour, worn by both men and women. Whilst handbags, belts and many other fashion accessories typically have a specific function, jewellery is usually worn for it’s visual appeal. The reasons for wearing jewellery often however vary across different cultures. Whilst jewellery may be worn as a display of wealth or for storage of wealth in some cultures, jewellery may be adorned in other cultures to symbolise group membership, faith or display status. Good examples include wedding rings to symbolise the status of marriage and Christian crucifixes to symbolise the Christian faith. Some cultures even believe their items of jewellery offer spiritual protection. In some cases, jewellery may provide a secondary minor function to the primary function of looking attractive and appealing. For example, certain items of jewellery, including brooches and clasps, may help secure or fasten items of clothing. In fact, such functional jewellery was originally designed for their useful function only; it was only later that function lost out to fashion.

Taking a variety of forms, of which rings, necklaces, earrings, and bracelets are among the most common, jewellery has been made to dress many parts of the body. Jewellery is made from a wide range of materials, of which the most common are various metals, including precious metals like gold, silver and platinum, and a wide variety of gemstones. Whilst items of jewellery are often appreciated for the value of their constituent materials, they may also be appreciated for their general design. That is, jewellery does not have to be valuable for it to be attractive and stylish. A good example is that of art jewellery for which there is a growing demand. Usually made from inexpensive materials, art jewellery is renowned for it’s creativity in design.

Jewellery, in one form or another, has been worn throughout history. The earliest items of jewellery worn by ancient civilisations were made from natural materials, including wood, stone, bone, and shells.