Jewelry is something that everybody should own and it can be expensive or cheap. Depending on your budget, you can either go with a fine jewelry piece or fashion jewelry. Fine jewelry is where it uses expensive materials such as gold, silver, platinum and gemstones.Â
Jewelry has been around for several years now and often changes in style when it gets to a new century, with jewelry designers adding their style. There have been several jewelry trends in recent years that have made a return. However, this article will discuss the jewelry trends in recent times and what we still see today.Â
History of Jewelry World
Throughout the years of jewelry, the development of jewelry started to become more complex, with the style becoming unique. Today, we will see the same jewelry pieces mass-produced by big designer brands. However, those unique pieces that were made earlier on are still appreciated today.
You could argue that they are even more expensive than they originally were. Antique & vintage jewelry is fast becoming a trend for many people. One of the reasons for this is the ongoing issues due to global warming. That is because people don’t want to support the modern-day mines that are not sustainable and ethical.
Mediaeval Jewelry
Mediaeval jewelry was a unique style of jewelry although it was also very basic. Jewelry back then was only for the rich and was often associated with royalty to show wealth. People that are much poorer than the royal family and those in the upper class would wear metals such as copper. Back then, jewelry had a deeper meaning other than the fact that it showed wealth.    Â
During mediaeval times, gemstones back then were polished instead of being cut, meaning the bigger the gemstone, the more wealth it signified. The way goldsmiths would add their design to a jewelry piece was by firing enamels at a high temperature to the metals.
17th-Century Jewelry
The 17th century was a massive change in the western world. Both fashion and jewelry changed massively, with the main designs becoming much more unique. It is the era when the world started to see that gemstones were becoming a sense of style with jewelry.
There are many different colors of gemstones out there, which is why it made 17th-century jewelry so unique. Further advancements were made with gemstones, instead of polishing large gemstones, technology was made to cut gemstones and was able to shape them to be more fitting for jewelry.
18th Century Jewelry
Once cutting gemstones were discovered in the 17th century, diamonds became popular in the 18th century. Combined with either silver or gold, diamonds were the go-to gemstone that every wealthy person wanted to get their hands on. As you may know, gemstones are highly expensive due to their durability and rarity.
People were making the most of being able to cut gemstones and the fact that there were so many made people want to have their unique pieces even more. The thing is, even though there was a lot more to do with jewelry, all it did was get more expensive and jewelry never became cheaper. Meaning it was aimed at the same target audience, the wealthy.
19th-Century Jewelry
The 19th century is how we see the world today. Heavy machinery and large factories are what helped us to get to the point that we are at now. Goldsmiths even became better due to the technology that they now had. Furthermore, goldsmiths began attempting to recreate old and historical designs from the 16th century.
By the 18th century, there were hundreds, if not thousands of different takes on jewelry designs. Flowers became more popular with jewelry as well, something completely different from previous years. Not only did the majority of the world improve their technology for mass-producing certain items and products but they were also able to create the unique designs that we still see today.
Art Deco Jewelry
After the war, a lot of countries were torn to pieces. However, despite all of that going on in the world, there were still some wonderful pieces of jewelry created, also known as the art deco era.
Everybody knows about the art deco style as it was not only a thing for jewelry but architecture in the United States. It rapidly became a very common design during that era. In the fashion world, the United States began competing with Paris and other countries. European jewelry houses were the main designers of jewelry until the United States came along.
Contemporary Jewelry
1960s jewelry became the more modern style that we know today. Even though there are still historical pieces out there, the designs of modern jewelry are something that we all appreciate. It is nothing too complex and is much more affordable for each class.
Modern jewelry is separated from what we know as fine jewelry and fashion jewelry as mentioned earlier. Many high-end brands started to find ways to design jewelry that was less expensive for them but easier to produce on a mass scale. However, fine jewelry is still very prominent in the fashion industry.Â
Despite the modern pieces we know today, the old historical designs still inspire modern jewelry designers. Furthermore, vintage engagement rings are a common design for any of those that are looking to propose. Vintage jewelry will always be respected for its unique designs and craftsmanship. That is why they are still worn today.
Summary
Jewelry has come a long way since it was first crafted. To think that gemstones were not cut when they were first discovered just shows how far we have come. Not only are we able to cut and shape gemstones to how we would like them, but we are also able to create gemstones in a lab. There is no doubt that technology has improved the designs of jewelry. It is something that we can all appreciate.Â
Amazing Facts About the History of Jewelry
Who was the first to wear jewelry?
The first piece of jewelry is believed to be worn by the Cro-magnons who are ancestors of homo sapiens. Their jewelry was not the style of jewelry that we know today. They would use bones and teeth from animals that they hunted and wore on their wrists, around their neck and ankles.
Who invented jewelry making?
The first pieces of jewelry made were around 3,000-5,000 years ago and they came from ancient Egypt. Gold was the more common material for Egyptian jewelry and symbolized religious and political power in the community.Â
What is the jewelry Capital of the world?
Antwerp is believed to be the undisputed capital of the world for diamonds. Around 84% of the world’s rough diamonds and 50% of cut diamonds are believed to pass through the Belgium city. It attracts some of the biggest international traders around the world due to its high-quality diamonds.