History of Necklaces - A Journey From Stone Age to 21st Century

Whether they are in the form of beads like they were made thousands of year ago or they are in the form of diamonds like today, Necklaces have been the oldest form of jewelry man can remember. They have been around for about forty thousand years. They have been made in every form and every way possible. In the Medieval age they were made from anything from stones, bones, animal teeth or even claws. Necklaces are one of the things that were most common among all civilizations. Whether they are Indus-valley or Greeks or Romans or Egyptians necklaces have been an integral part and have always helps men and women look beautiful. Every civilization had their unique way of making them.

Somewhere around 2500 BC gold was introduced among necklaces. 2000 B.C. was when Sumerian bead neck jewelry started to use alternating patterns of colored stones and gemstones and metals such as copper or silver. Egypt was very advanced when it comes to ornaments. They did not just stick to normal format or the beads one. They started to make more complex and challenging patters. They also made beads from glass and that also colored glass. Like red or blue in color. They were so attached to their ornaments that high profile people were even buried with the ornaments on them.

Romans came up with whole different concept of necklaces. Gold was introduced when Alexander was there and they made May regulations on the use of gold and how much to use. These resulted in making more complicated and new designs using less gold. Ribbon like necklaces were introduced during that time. Necklaces perhaps held their greatest influence on the jewelry world during the middle ages. Beads were no longer able to satisfy the richness expected of ecclesiastical ornaments and the ensuing regal splendor. This led to a greater use of chains and their respective ornaments. Goldsmiths would link together their work creating collars of gold, enamels and many rare jewels. The badge or pendant was in the ascendant, with the chain worn chiefly as a badge of office or in connection with a badge decorated with heraldic design. Necklaces are worn now for a variety of reasons not the least of which personal adornment. Many people wear medals that are religiously significant such as those with images of the Saints or Jesus Christ. Many wear a plain cross while still others will wear a Crucifix which is a cross on which the image of the body of Christ is fastened. It stands to reason that it can be said that necklaces have been and will remain a piece of jewelry that is completely versatile in its design and the intent of the wearer.

Now today we see more and more Varity of necklaces and for every class of people made out of metal, silver, gold, platinum, and even diamonds. Some of the type of necklace includes:-

Station Necklaces - Station necklaces are likely to be colorful gemstones or gold elements as well as diamonds and pearls. Links in different sizes are also used as stations.

Pendant necklaces - they mostly consist of different pendants of different styles hanging with necklace. They are made from stone, metal or even diamonds.

Monogram Necklaces - Personalized Monogram necklaces are also in demand these days. They can be anything from ma small message to just the initials of the individual.

Charm and talisman Necklaces - are usually of spiritual or religious significance. They are believed to bring good luck and good fortune for the one wearing it.

Long Necklaces - mainly made for women they are longer than usual sized necklaces. Mostly worn casually they can b longer up to wait.

Hamsa Necklaces - Palm shaped amulet or Hamsa Necklaces are very popular in Middle East. Mainly in the form of right hand, its significance is mainly that is saves you from evil eyes.

No matter what the occasion is or the significance is necklaces have been around forever and they are going to around forever.

I am Frank Jefferson working as a marketing manager for Timeless Jewelry Collection. Our collection of good spirited Hamsa Necklaces has made us more desirable. I have been observing the market very closely and along with other necklaces glittering monogram necklaces have been the talk of the town. Along with these we also offer much other variety of necklaces. I have been associated with Timeless for over a decade now and have seen many happy faces. To know more visit us on: - http://www.timelessjewelrycollection.com/

Gold Nugget Jewelry - A History of Hard-earned Beauty

Gold nugget jewelry has an extremely interesting history behind it. Before the Alaskan Gold Rush, hundreds of thousands of people flocked to California and Australia in search of it. Some succeeded while many failed. The jewelry, which is fashioned into a variety of pieces, is designed to accentuate the natural, weathered nugget and evokes historical times of these rushes.

In 1849, gold was found in California, inciting one of the largest rushes in history. Over 300,000 people flocked to California from other parts of the country as well as Latin America, Europe, Australia, and Asia. Striking gold and becoming wealthy fast in a new world became known as the "California Dream" and motivated various people into a feverish migration for the metal. It was so prevalent initially that significantly sized nuggets could be picked up right off the ground. Later, it was sifted and panned out of streams and riverbeds. During the California Gold Rush, tens of billions of today's dollars was recovered from the environment and made a select few extremely wealthy.

A couple of years after the California Gold Rush, the Australian government which had been burying news of gold discoveries for years became increasingly concerned over the emigration of people to California. They made their own discoveries public news and incited a new Australian Gold Rush, which took full effect after 1851. Approximately forty-five years later, the Alaskan Gold Rush began with about 100,000 people traveling to the Klondike region of the state. Because of challenging environmental factors like extreme weather, dangerous terrain and unstable food sources, this rush proved less lucrative than the California or Australian rushes for many.

While the gold rush in Alaska has long been over, many areas of the state continue to be mined for it to this day. Currently, the state of Alaska produces the second largest amount of gold in the United States on an annual basis after Nevada. One result of this has been a growing and popular market for nugget jewelry-a style of jewelry that showcases the rugged, natural look of a piece of gold. While nugget jewelry is also fashioned from Australian gold, those pieces tend to be less valuable as there is significantly more nugget material coming from Australia as compared to Alaska. For this reason, nuggets from Alaska demand higher prices than other origins because of their rarity.

Wearing a piece of this jewelry evokes times of long ago. A piece of nugget jewelry conjures images of these gold rushes where men from all over the world feverishly assembled to make it big and fulfill dreams of fast wealth. Because the gold in real nugget jewelry is created by mother nature, the look is one of an authentic and natural antique. Indeed, when wearing this nugget jewelry, there is an element being shown off that is something larger than simple aesthetics or style. The owner is sporting a symbolic remnant of meaningful and interesting history.

Alaska Jewelry was started in Sitka, Alaska in 1990 by local operators Chris and Tamara Fondell. Featuring hand-carved, Northwest native Alaskan jewelry as well as popular and iconic brands like John Hardy, Tacori and Simon G., the company expanded its clientele with the introduction of its online presence in 2000. It is the only locally owned jewelry operator in Sitka, Alaska. For more information, please visit http://www.alaskajewelry.com/ . Rate this Article

Gold Nugget Jewelry - A History of Hard-earned BeautyNot Rated Yet

Cleve Oines has published 4 articles. Article submitted on October 08, 2013. Word count: 488

In today's modern world, people are getting more and more brand conscious. Everybody wants to have brand products if they can afford. They are not only interested to have branded clothes and accessories, but they also would love to have branded jewelries also

Written by: Daniel Benny

British shoppers looking to buy their gold charms or gold heart pendants are changing their ways. It would appear that our relationship with high street shopping has peaked despite the fact that our fondness with regard to online shopping increases.

Written by: Michelle Michaelis

Article focuses on the timeless beauty of Love Links and Biagi jewelry and the reason behind their appealing attraction.

Written by: Debi Jones

Rose Gold Wedding Bands for a man-gagement? Really? Find out what has sparked the popularity of this new trend in wedding engagements and if this latest fashion is just a fad or the future in men's jewelry.

Written by: J Raquel

A Quick History of Wedding Bands for Men

Wedding bands are a fairly new tradition for men. Since the time of cavemen, rings and other symbols have been given to women by men as a sign of love, and to bind the wife to her husband. Over the millennia things have changed, and now it's acceptable and even expected for men to wear a ring to show their commitment and love to their spouse.

The wedding ring as a symbol of love is first recorded with the Ancient Egyptians. They would exchange rings woven of reeds and other plants, the circle the symbol of eternity and eternal love, the space within the circle a gateway to future events. While plant based rings were first, they soon gave way to sturdier materials, such as leather, ivory and bone. The pharos were found to have a single, simple circlet of a thin band of gold upon the fourth finger of the left hand, where they believed there was a vein that ran directly to the heart.

The Romans were less romantic about their use of rings for marriage. They would give their wife a ring of iron as they passed over the threshold of their home. This simple iron band was meant as a show of ownership over their wife more than a symbol of love.

Ancient Greeks brought back the romance with rings that were gifted not only to a spouse, but to friends and other loved ones as a sign that they cared. They also carried on the tradition of the belief of the "venis amoris", or the vein in the left ring finger that led steadfastly to the heart.

Up until the 1500's, wedding bands were continuously given by men to their women. During the 1500's, the gimmel ring became popular in Europe. It resembled a puzzle ring and was crafted of two interlocking metal bands. After engagement both the bride and groom soon to be would wear one, and at the wedding, the rings would be reconnected and the bride would forever wear the ring upon her hand.

The modern tradition of men wearing a diamond wedding band did not become the norm until World War II. Due to long deployments and the uncertainty of seeing their love again, wives began giving their husbands a simple band to remind them of love back home waiting for their return.

The practice of men wearing an affordable wedding band, often constructed of yellow gold, has continued through today. There has been a rise in sales of men's diamond wedding bands, as well as an ongoing style changes to keep up with the ever changing dynamic of rings and other jewelry worn by the male of our species.

Ansel Adams is exceedingly interested in diamonds of all shapes and sizes. He explains about tips on finding wedding bands and diamond wedding bands.