Stone Mania

Jewellery has fascinated mankind for thousands of years and some of the oldest known jewellery dates back to the Stone Age some 75,000 to 100,000 years ago.  The word jewellery originates from the Latin ‘jocale’, meaning ‘plaything’ and also ‘jewel’ which was anglicised during the 13th century from the old French word ’jouel’ meaning any piece of precious material used to adorn one’s self.  Jewellery is spelt differently on both sides of the Atlantic and Google receives 13,600,000 global monthly searches for the word ‘jewellery’ of which 2,740,000 are from the UK.  ‘Jewelry’ on the other hand is searched for a staggering 20,400,000 times a month globally and interestingly ‘jewellry’, although spelt incorrectly, is searched for 1,830,000 times a month from the UK alone.  Search results are just as staggering with ‘jewelry’ returning around 640,000,000 pages, ‘jewellry’ 5,820,000 and ‘jewellery’ 223,000,000 so the fight to appear on page one of Google for this unbelievably popular search term is fierce and it is for this reason that you may see the word 'jewellery' incorrectly spelt on some websites especially those from smaller companies like ourselves as it can significantly improve the chances of being found in search engine results.  

The history of jewellery is fascinating and the variety of different types of jewellery which is available today around the world, is both extensive and diverse, but how did it all begin?

Early man used materials which were readily available to him which included animal teeth, bone, shell, carved wood and stone.  Historians generally believe that these were used primarily as functional items to fasten clothing and it was some time before they started to be used for personal adornment or in spiritual and religious ceremonies.  It is likely that gemstones were initially collected in much the same way as food considering man was a hunter gatherer and one can only imagine what he must have thought of these seemingly useless but immensely colourful objects which in many cases were harder than any other naturally occurring material he had ever come across.  As mankind evolved, jewellery became a symbol of wealth and status and gemstones were often used as amulets and talismans and subsequently for healing wounds or ailments.  Jewellery is known to have been made out of almost every natural material known to man including snail shells some of which date back 75,000 years whilst beads made from ostrich egg shells have been dated to more than 40,000 years ago.  Difficulties in exact interpretation arise as a result of the written languages that historians can conclusively translate so understandably, the customs and practices of Stone Age man is subject to interpretation and vast amounts of speculation.

What makes jewellery so fascinating whether it was made by primitive man or by modern designers, is that in so many cases it serves little purpose other than to look appealing which makes it unlike most other items that we use or wear on a daily basis.  Having said that, some items of jewellery have evolved into symbols of religion such as the crucifix, Star of David or the wedding band which is worn to signify a bond between two people and certain gemstones have also in more recent times, been used for the purpose of art and Peter Fabergé's eggs are a perfect example.

Although a huge variety of different natural materials are used in jewellery design, gemstones remain one of the most popular and in particular, diamonds.  Diamonds were first mined in India and have been known there for at least 3,000 years but more likely as least 6,000.  The British crown jewels contain the Cullinan Diamond found in South Africa in 1905 which is part of the largest gem-quality rough diamond ever to be found.  Many different gemstones are used in jewellery with some being better known than others.  Some of the most popular varieties include Amethyst, Emerald, Jade (which is more closely linked to Asian culture, history and tradition) Lapis Lazuli, varieties of Quartz, Ruby, Sapphire and Turquoise whilst some which are less known and also rarer include Eudialyte, Tiffany Stone, Charoite, Pietersite, Phosphosiderite and Larimar.    

The wearing and use of jewellery has changed dramatically over the years and it continues to do so on an almost daily basis.  Culture and fashion also have a strong influence over jewellery design and a perfect example is the way in which earrings and certain other items that were once considered to be effeminate, are now worn by almost as many men as women and are no longer considered to be effeminate and in fact, they can often mean the exact opposite.

The first signs of jewellery came from Africa which is unsurprising considering the cradle of civilization is considered to be Mesopotamia which is around the region of modern day Iraq.  Outside of Africa, crudely made items of jewellery have been found made from animal teeth, berries, nuts, stone, Mother of Pearl and other shells and in southern Russia, it was made from the tusks of the Woolly Mammoth and pieces have been found which were clearly intended to be used as pendants.  An amulet in the form of a pendant made from gold, Lapis Lazuli, Turquoise and Carnelian which dates back to 254 BC is housed in the Louvre in Paris. 

The Ancient Egyptians began making jewellery around 3,000-5,000 years ago and it clearly symbolised power and wealth.  Jewellery was worn both in life and death and they often used coloured glass in place of gemstones not because they didn’t have access to them, but because they preferred the colours that they could create in glass.  They were even able to mimic the colour of almost every gemstone, a practice which has continued to this day.  Colour was considered to be important as different colours represented different things.

By approximately 4,000 years ago, jewellery making had become a significant craft in the cities of Sumer and Mesopotamia and it often featured large numbers of brightly coloured gemstones including Agate, Lapis Lazuli, Carnelian and Jasper.

By 1600 BC the Greeks had started using gold and gemstones such as Amethyst, Pearl and Emeralds in jewellery and by 300 BC they had also mastered the art of using colour.  Cameos were also appearing which were made from Indian Sardonyx and although these jewellery designs were simple, they quickly developed and grew in complexity and many different materials also began to appear.  Jewellery was mainly used for public appearances and special occasions and it was frequently given as a gift.  Mainly worn by women, jewellery displayed wealth, social status and beauty.  Some items were believed to offer protection from the ‘evil eye’ or give the wearer mystical and supernatural powers whilst others had religious symbolism.  Gold and silver was used extensively which was often adorned with ivory or fine gemstones but copies using bronze and clay were common.

In Asia, the Indian subcontinent has the longest continuous legacy of jewellery making anywhere in the world with a history spanning 5,000 years.  One of the first tribes to start making jewellery was the people of the Indus Valley Civilization in what is now predominately modern day Pakistan.  In China jewellery making began around the same time but only became widespread with the spread of Buddhism around 2,000 years ago.  By 1500 BC the peoples of the Indus Valley were creating gold earrings and necklaces, metallic bangles and prior to 2100 BC when metals were widely used, beads were extremely popular in this region.  Having bought a rough bead from an eastern trader, it would be placed into a hot oven where it would be heated until it turned deep red, a colour which was highly prized, it would then be chipped to the right size, a hole would be drilled through it and then it would be polished or painted.

Chinese jewellery was very religion oriented and contained Buddhist symbols, a tradition which continues to this day.  They used more silver in their jewellery than gold which was frequently decorated with the colour blue.  Blue Kingfisher feathers were tied on to early Chinese designs and later, blue gemstones and glass were also used.  Jade was the preferred choice which was fashioned using diamonds. The Chinese revered Jade because of the human like qualities they associated with it such as its hardness, durability and beauty.  Jade rings from between the 4th and 7th centuries BC show evidence of having been worked with a type of machine which was not mentioned in the West until hundreds of years later.  Initially worn by both sexes as a display of nobility and wealth, in later years jewellery was worn more to accentuate beauty. Women wore highly detailed gold and silver head dresses as well as many other items of jewellery whilst men wore decorative hat buttons and/or gold or silver rings. Women also wore strips of gold on their foreheads which was an early form of tiara often decorated with precious gemstones and both sexes frequently wore earrings. 

Among the Aztecs, gold represented rank, power and wealth and both the Emperor and his High Priests would be almost completely covered in gold jewellery when making public appearances. Although it was the most common and popular material used in Aztec society, Jade, Turquoise and certain feathers were considered to be even more valuable. Gemstones were also embedded into daggers which were used to perform sacrifices on both animals and humans.  The Maya were another ancient American civilisation who had great expertise with jewellery who at the peak of their civilisation, were using Jade, gold, silver, bronze and also copper, however in earlier times they had little access to metal, so mainly used bone or stone. Merchants and nobility were amongst the few who wore expensive jewellery which was much the same as with the Aztecs.

The Romans used a diverse selection of materials to make jewellery due to the accessibility of a wide variety of natural resources found across the European and Mediterranean continents which were under their dominion. They also had an extensive network of trade which gave them access to exotic materials and precious gemstones that travelled along the ancient Silk Road from Persia, the Indus Valley, India and the Far East.  Gold, bronze, bone, glass and Pearls were frequently used in jewellery as well as Sri Lankan Sapphires, Indian Diamonds, Emeralds, Amber and in Roman ruled England, fossilised Wood. Although jewellery was mainly worn by women, men were expected to wear a single ring however many ignored tradition and wore one on every finger.  Rings were often an intaglio or engraved gemstone that was used with wax to seal documents and this practice continued well into mediaeval times and was used extensively by kings and noblemen.  The early Italians worked extensively with crude gold and made claps, necklaces, earrings and bracelets and they also produced large pendants which could be filled with perfume. After the fall of the Roman Empire, many of their jewellery designs were absorbed by neighbouring countries and tribes.

The Renaissance and also global exploration had significant impacts on the development of jewellery in Europe and by the 17th century, increasing trade lead to increased availability of a wide variety of gemstones as well as exposure to the art of other cultures.  Prior to this period, the working of gold and precious metal had been at the forefront of jewellery design but this period saw the increased use of gemstones and the style of their settings.  An example of this is the Cheapside Hoard, the stock of a jeweller hidden in London during the Commonwealth period and not found again until 1912.  The Cheapside Hoard is the greatest collection of Elizabethan and Jacobean jewellery in the world and it contained Colombian Emerald, Topaz, Amazonite, Spinel, Iolite, Chrysoberyl from Sri Lanka, Ruby from India, Afghani Lapis Lazuli, Persian Turquoise, Red Sea Peridot as well as Bohemian and Hungarian Opal, Garnet and Amethyst.

Starting in the late 18th century, Romanticism had a profound impact on the development of western jewellery. Perhaps the most significant influences were people's fascination with the treasures being discovered through the birth of modern archaeology and the fascination with Mediaeval and Renaissance art. Changing social conditions and the onset of the Industrial Revolution also lead to the growth of a middle class who had money and wanted to spend it.  As a result the use of industrial processes, cheaper alloys and gemstone substitutes lead to the development of costume jewellery. Distinguished goldsmiths continued to flourish, however wealthier customers sought to ensure that the jewellery that they wore still stood apart from the jewellery of the masses, not only through use of precious metals and gemstones, but also through superior artistic and technical work.  One category unique to this period was mourning jewellery made popular by Queen Victoria who was often seen wearing Jet or Black Onyx after the death of Prince Albert.

In the USA in 1837 the appearance of Tiffany & Co put the USA firmly on the map with regards to jewellery.  It created stunning commissions for people such as the wife of Abraham Lincoln and later would gain notoriety as the setting of the film Breakfast at Tiffany's.  In France Pierre Cartier founded 'Cartier' in 1847 whilst 1884 saw the appearance of Bulgari in Italy.  This was the beginning of mass production for jewellery as opposed to individual craftsmanship and patronage. 

In the 1890's jewellers began to explore the potential of the growing Art Nouveau style which encompassed many distinct features including a focus on the female form and an emphasis on colour, most commonly rendered through the use of enamelling techniques and included motifs of flowers, birds, insects, animals and mythological creatures.  This new style moved the focus of jewellery from the setting of gemstones to artistic design.  Art Nouveau was most popular from around 1895 although it actually began around 1875 in Paris and had died out by the end of World War I.  By this time, public attitudes had changed and a more sober style of jewellery crept in.  Growing political tensions, the after-effects of the war and a reaction against the perceived decadence of the turn of the 20th century led to simpler jewellery designs, combined with more effective manufacturing for mass production of high-quality jewellery.  Covering the period of the 1920's and 1930's, this style became known as Art Deco and a number of modern materials were also introduced including plastic and aluminium.  Designs were influenced by African, Egyptian and Japanese themes and were famous for their geometric shapes, sharp lines and bright colours.  This era came to an end in 1939 with the start of world war two and the next craze to be born was retro jewellery. 

The retro jewellery period began in the 1930's during the depression years and lasted until 1950.  Jewellery designs were chunky with large colourful gemstones which were almost always oversized.  Artificial gemstones such as Ruby, Sapphire, Aquamarine and Citrine were also popular as they provided colour and charms were worn in large quantities on link bracelets.

Moving forward to the modern day, whilst the style and variety of jewellery is ever changing, jewellery is no longer a true representation of ones social status or wealth and in the vast majority of cases, it is worn solely for beauty or simply as a fashion accessory.