Gold Jewelry, Costume, and Handmade

Jewelry is given and bought for many different occasions. From a little girl’s first set of earrings, to a man getting his girlfriend an engagement ring to a couple celebrating an anniversary, jewelry is a loving gift.

Jewelry is made from gemstones or precious metals, but may be from any other material, and may be appreciated because of geometric or other patterns, or meaningful symbols. Earrings and other body rings are also considered to be jewelry.

Having Jewelry on your body can also be a status symbol, or just for fun. Either way, you know the saying, “Diamonds are a girl’s best friend”, and well it is true.

Diamonds were first mined in India. Pliny may have mentioned them, although there is some debate as to the exact nature of the stone he referred to as Adamas; In 2005, Australia, Botswana, Russia and Canada ranked among the primary sources of gemstone diamond production.

The British crown jewels contain the Cullinan Diamond, part of the largest gem-quality rough diamond ever found (1905), at 3,106.75 carats.

Now popular in engagement rings, this usage dates back to the marriage of Maximilian I to Mary of Burgundy in 1477
Diamond jewelry has become so popular in modern times it has developed slang terms for it, such as “bling”. Diamonds can be custom arranged, often with other precious stones, to make unique jewelry or matching sets of jewelry that are designed to be worn together.

With body modification, jewelry can literally be installed almost anywhere. People choose to cover themselves with jewelry for its beauty or because of what it implies, whether it implies a high threshold for pain, significant wealth, interesting style or rank.

Gold can be worked into nearly any shape, including tiny strands that do not break easily. One ounce of gold can even be hammered into an ultra thin sheet that's ten feet square. Gold can be manipulated nearly any way the artisan desires.

Solid gold is durable, so it is a better choice for jewelry you'll wear regularly. If you have allergies to nickel or other metals, choose items that have high gold content, such as 18K or 22K gold jewelry.

Gold filled or plated jewelry is suitable for jewelry that you wear occasionally. Everyday use would eventually diminish the gold layer, exposing the metal below, which might stain your skin or cause an allergic reaction.
For pieces that will last a lifetime and beyond, buy the highest quality gold your budget allows.

For platinum, gold, and silver jewelry there are many techniques to create finishes. The most common are high-polish, satin/matte, brushed, and hammered. High-polished jewelry is by far the most common and gives the metal the highly-reflective and shiny look.

Satin or matte finish reduces the shine and reflection of the jewelry and is commonly used to accentuate gemstones such as diamonds. Brushed finishes give the jewelry a textured look, and are created by brushing a material (similar to sandpaper) against the metal, leaving 'brush strokes'. Hammered finishes are typically created by using a soft, rounded hammer and hammering the jewelry to give it a wavy texture.

 

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